Local Food Hub

We've moved!

2011-04-14T13:38:00.000-04:00

Dear loyal blog readers,

We have exciting news: we've moved! As an organization with almost two years of operation under our belt, we felt like it was time to update our look.

From here on out, you can find us at www.localfoodhub.org/blog

Please update your blog readers, bookmarks, and links, and join us at our new home!

Cheers!
emily

Nature is party to all our deals and decisions

2011-03-29T10:37:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday began like many others here on the farm: rooster crowing, coffee brewing, vests and hats to brace against the early morning spring chill, and a team meeting to set the pace for the day.

But a breathtaking sight faced our staff when they emerged from the office and made their way down to the fields.

In a freak overnight windstorm / microburst / tornado / giant beast attack, our beloved high tunnel -- just completed this summer -- had been utterly destroyed. A mass of mangled metal, unruly wire, and shredded plastic sat in its place, the chaos a stark contrast to the neat, orderly (completely unharmed) rows of baby lettuce on the ground below.

You can see more photos of the damage (and a video) on Flickr.

Strangely, everything else on the farm was in its right place, no trees down, no other tunnels damaged, rain gauges practically empty. We're still not sure exactly what happened.

In light of recent world events, the loss of our high tunnel is a minor inconvenience, we know. More than anything else, we are thankful that no one was hurt and that nothing else on the farm was damaged.

But clearly it is still a loss -- while it produced nearly 500 pounds of spring mix during its lifetime, it had not yet covered the costs of construction -- and it remains a harsh reminder that farming is always, ultimately, at the mercy of nature's whims.

So, farewell high tunnel. Thank you for the delicious, tender greens you helped us grow, and the food and warmth you provided for us even through the coldest winter months.

Now, on to scavenge the salvageables from your wreckage, keep calm, and carry on.

Hello, Holly!

2011-03-24T14:42:00.000-04:00

Hello fellow Local Food Hub enthusiasts! My name is Holly, and I am one of the apprentices here at Maple Hill Farm. This is the first of many of my cameo appearances here on the blog, providing you with updates on what we’re up to out here, and to share my experiences as I learn the challenges and triumphs of growing food.

A little about me: Originally from southwest Virginia, I graduated from Clemson University last year with a degree in International Public Health and Spanish, and a minor in Anthropology. If you’re anything like my friends and family, you’re probably thinking, “Well, Holly, what the heck are you doing on a farm?!”

Throughout college I became increasingly fascinated with food – the culture, community, and tastes that it generated – and I buried myself in books ranging from farmer memoirs to food anthropology textbooks. It soon became obvious that the maxim “think globally, act locally” had more meaning than I realized, and that if I was going to learn much more about my local food system I needed to put down the books and put my hands in the soil. I needed to grow that stuff that I am, literally, made from. So here I am, three weeks into my apprenticeship. First lesson: turns out you don’t have to give up the books to get the dirty fingernails.

Here at Maple Hill, we have been hustling, shifting the farm from winter hibernation to spring awakening. Our greenhouse is bursting to life; we have sowed thousands and thousands of seeds over the past few weeks. Watching germination in the “seedling halfway house” is a thrill, another step in the miracle that is food production! My fellow apprentices and I have worked a great deal in the fields cleaning up the perennial beds that gathered dead leaves and weeds over their winter holiday. We weeded and prepped over a ¼ acre plot of asparagus, and expect their delicious heads to be peering out of the soil any day now. The raspberry and blackberry patch puzzle has been solved, and what was once a dark, thick muddle of limbs and thorns is now thinned, pruned, and ready to begin its work toward summer fruiting in earnest.

Our work on the farm has not been all cleaning and weeding – we have also harvested hundreds of pounds of lettuce mix and spinach that were “overwintered,” meaning they were grown in the field under high and low tunnels. These tunnels are “season extenders” and made of plastic, which allow farmers to cultivate food when the outdoor growing season is over because of cold. I am amazed that fresh, stunningly green nutrient-filled veggies are able to grow in the dead of winter.

As you know, we have a huge flock of chickens here on the farm. We have just increased their number by 75 more Long Island Reds, bringing our chicken grand total to two hundred. Those hens are a handful – they are rather young, the equivalent of wily chicken teenagers, and have provided me with a crash course in chicken wrangling and a sincere test of patience. They have recently begun laying eggs for our Local Food Hub customers, so you all will soon be able to buy their protein-packed marvels in your markets.

Working on Maple Hill Farm has been a grand new experience for me – although I have helped my family grow our vegetable garden for years, I have never been as immersed in farming quite like this. At times I get a bit overwhelmed at the scale of the task – four acres is a handful for five people to manage.

But as I work elbow-to-elbow with my coworkers and farm managers, it becomes obvious that we can prevail over the challenges and achieve our food growing mission, one day at a time. I am lucky to have the support of the Local Food Hub team, and for the guidance and wisdom from Steve and Adri, our fearless farm leaders. And we are all fortunate to have you -- our supportive local food community.

Welcome to the season, readers! It is surely going to be delectable.

Stick a Fork in It: Lunch Line Movie Screening

2011-03-22T12:37:00.000-04:00

On June 4, 2011, the National School Lunch program will turn 65. Signed into law by Harry Truman in 1946, the program now provides low-cost or free lunches to over 31 million children daily. While opinions certainly vary on the quality of these lunches, one fact remains: the program has the immense potential to address very real issues of hunger, nutrition and obesity for America's littlest eaters.

On Friday, March 25th a local coalition in Charlottesville will host a screening of Lunch Line, a documentary film that details the history of the school lunch program, followed by an exciting panel discussion that will explore what kinds of solutions exist and how you can help bring them to your school. Panelists include local school nutrition directors, UVA professors, a state representative, and even a leading school lunch-focused journalist!

Now is the chance to have your voice heard! Join the conversation and get involved!

What: Lunch Line screening and panel discussion
When: March 25, 6:30pm
Where: MLK PAC
How: Free and open to the public
RSVP: on Facebook, or just show up!

Panelist include:
Ed Bruske, chef, journalist, blogger and author of the Cafeteria Confidential column on Grist.
Alicia Cost, Charlottesville City Schools Nutrition Services Dept. Registered Dietician
Andrea Early, Director of School Nutrition Harrisonburg City Schools
Charles Green, Dir. Marketing & Development, VA Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Matt Trowbridge, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine UVA School of Medicine

Moderated by Tanya Denckla-Cobb, UVA Prof. Urban & Environmental Planning, author of "The Gardener's A-to-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food"

To whet your appetite, check out this trailer for Lunch Line:

Lunch Line Trailer from uji films on Vimeo.

This special screening is made possible by the following event partners and sponsors:
Local Food Hub
JABA
Blue Ridge Backyard Harvest
EAT!
VMDO Architects
Univ. of Virginia Food Collaborative
City Schoolyard Garden Project
Cville School Food Initiative
Slow Food Albemarle-Piedmont
A Pimento Catering
Whole Foods Market Charlottesville

Take a Gander at All That Green

2011-03-08T13:04:00.000-05:00

If you've poked your head in our greenhouse lately, then you know it's packed to the gills with thousands of baby seedlings (and seedlings-to-be). And, thanks to some help from the CACF Future Fund volunteers, soon there will be even more!

Last year at this time, our greenhouse production was probably a third of what it is right now. In fact, we weren't even heating the whole thing. We just built a mini-greenhouse inside and heated it with electric space heaters. Now that's what I call ingenuity.

So why all the green this year? Glad you asked! There are a couple of new projects that we'd like to tell you about:

Most importantly, we're getting started much earlier this year. If you'll recall, 2010 was our first year on the farm — and we didn't even move in until March! This year we've had all winter to plan and prepare, and we made good use of that time.
We also have a new farmer to tell you about! Brian Moss, one of our apprentices from last season, is returning in 2011 as a senior apprentice. That means he'll be working his own small farm on our property. Lots of the seedlings you see in our greenhouse are actually his. We like to think the senior apprenticeship program is the perfect next step for a young farmer in Virginia. Expect to hear more about Mossy Acre in the coming weeks and months!
We like to share. Not all of our partnering farms have access to a greenhouse, and even if they do, we know that heating it can be pricey. At the same time, getting a jump on plant production early in the season can be a major boost to farm income. So we thought, since we're already heating ours, why not add some plant starts for our farmers and then give them away for free? And that's just what we're doing.
Finally, Save the Date! Lots of these seedlings will be for our plant sale and open house on May 7, 2011. Pick up some veggie and flower starts for your home garden (or as a eco-friendly Mother's Day present), tour the farm, have a picnic, take a free class or two, and join in some volunteer projects. It's going to be a family-friendly, action packed day.

So that's the scoop on the green. How's your garden planning coming along?

The Cheese Stands Alone

2011-03-04T14:17:00.000-05:00

Spring is coming, and so is the chevre! Get ready to take advantage of the amazing cheeses we have here in Virginia by signing up for Planet to Plate: A Study in Slow Food (Goat Cheese). Designed and taught by Local Food Hub staffer, Lisa Reeder, this mini-course is a lighthearted way to focus on a locally grown or produced food while highlighting the people who work hard to make it available.

Lisa will be joined for one session by owner/cheesemaker Gail Hobbs-Page of Caromont Farm, and together they will lead a focused tasting of Gail's cheeses and some of their early spring accompaniments (think asparagus, strawberries and spinach, to name a few).

Students will learn the history and heritage of goat cheese (seasonality, craftsmanship, animal husbandry, and land stewardship), as well as gain insight into small-scale dairy farming in Virginia and its challenges. And did we mention there's a field trip?

This is Lisa's second Planet to Plate offering. Last fall, the course focused on the apple, and culminated in a tasting trip to Vintage Virginia Apples for an introduction to the Shelton family and their newest endeavor, Albemarle CiderWorks.

Lisa's dream for local food? To make Central Virginia's food heritage and culture available to everyone -- and to celebrate its deliciousness every day. 'Planet to Plate' classes are appropriate for all age and learning levels, so grab a kid who says they don't like goat cheese or a friend who is curious about joining Slow Food Albemarle Piedmont, and join in the fun.

For more of Lisa's adventures in local food and drink, check out her blog, A Local Notion.

When: Mondays, 7-9pm. Mar 28-Apr 11
Where: UVa School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Zehmer Hall, Lounge
Price: $100
Register: www.scps.virginia.edu | (434) 982-2779

image credit: regard 1400/Creative Commons

Fruit School with Professor Barkslip

2011-02-28T16:43:00.000-05:00

Bill Whipple's business card should be a pear. Yep, that's right. A real, actual pear.

You see, when I first met Bill last September, it was mid-day at the Heritage Harvest Festival and I'd already chatted with approximately 3 million people. My brain was fried and my capacity for meeting new folks and actually remembering them was pretty much tapped out.

And then Bill walked over. Granted, it could have been his striped suspenders that made him unforgettable, but most likely it was the crazy delicious pear, grown organically on his land in West Virginia, that he sliced up and shared with us. It was the most amazing piece of fruit I've ever tasted: juicy, tender, fresh and flavorful. I've never had anything like it. Which is why I think he should ditch the cardboard cards and just carry pears.

The best part about this whole story, though, is that Bill, a.k.a. Professor Barkslip, will be joining us in April to teach a two-day intensive Fruit School class. Now you can grow your own business cards, too!

If you're interested in growing fruit in your home or community garden, thinking about starting an orchard or adding fruit trees to your farm, you should not miss these classes. With an emphasis on organic production, Bill will take you through tree care, pruning, rooting, and grafting, and you'll leave with enough plant material to practically pay for the class. These workshops are perfect for new beginners and old hands alike. You will learn:

basic skills and pruning strategies to care for low-input home, farm and community orchards
hands-on experience rooting and grafting, plus take-home cuttings and seed starts
skills to convert ornamental trees into fruit producing mega-giants in three years

Professor Barkslip's Fruit School

Date: April 16 & 17, 9am - 5pm
Location: Educational Farm at Maple Hill
Cost: BEFORE MARCH 19: $60/day, $120/weekend. AFTER MARCH 19: $70/day, $140/weekend
Register: info@localfoodhub.org or (434) 286-2176

It is recommended that you sign up for the full weekend as the material builds upon itself, but if you can't, here's the breakdown:

April 16, 2011
Fruit tree care and pruning workshop (for the home, farm, and public space):
This class will be half talk and half walk and will cover site analysis and selection, proper tree selection, orchard floor prep and care, and caring for the established orchard. Like all the classes at fruit school, emphasis will be on using organic methods. Bring your favorite pruners and saws if you have them for the hands on portion of the class!

Plant rooting and propagation (for the low budget fruit enthusiast):
This class emphasizes low tech, organic methods of plant production though seeds, layering, rooting, stooling, and division. This is by far the easiest and cheapest way to bring the nutritional abundance of plants into your life. Great activity ideas for kids as well!

April 17, 2011
Bench grafting and cloning around:
Learn to graft your own fruit trees! This is nothing short of magical when you learn to stick a branch of one tree onto another and it grows. Discussed and illustrated will be the whip and tongue, and the cleft grafts, rootstock varieties, seedlings versus clones, aftercare, and setting up your own nursery for income diversification. Included in the class is one rootstock, choice of several varieties of budwood, and aftercare materials. There will be plenty of rootstock for sale to do multiple grafts if desired. You are encouraged to bring your own varieties of apple tree cuttings to graft or to swap and share with other participants.

Top working and advanced grafting (Have your flower and eat it too!):
This class will hurl you headlong into the world of top working countless varieties onto existing trees. Within three years you can have a barren ornamental tree in production with 40 varieties! We’ll learn about compatibility, timing, and the world of countless grafting techniques including chip and T- budding, side grafting, rind graft. We’ll touch on festooning and arborsmithing as well. Also emphasized is the essential aftercare of the top worked tree.

Sponsored by Local Food Hub and Blue Ridge Permaculture Network.

image credit: bmann/Creative Commons

Sway your Sweetheart with Season Extension: Eliot Coleman at UVA

2011-02-11T15:34:00.000-05:00

Barbara Damrosch and Eliot Coleman -- aren't they dapper?

Looking for something romantic to do this weekend? Well look no further: join Charlottesville's garden and farm community this Sunday at a lecture and demonstration by one of America's most innovative and well-respected organic farmers: Eliot Coleman. I mean, what speaks of love and longing more than a full, warm greenhouse overflowing with vibrant, growing life in the long, cold days of winter?

Not buying it? Ok, but you should still check this out, because if you've browsed a seed catalog or two in the decade, then you've probably seen Coleman (or one of his self-designed tools) among the pages, boasting a basket overflowing with utterly perfect, organically grown vegetables.

Known as the king of season extension techniques, Coleman has become the champion of the small organic farm in an age of large-scale industrial agribusiness, because, he says, small farms and market gardens simply grow better food. At his Four Season Farm in Maine where he's been farming for more than 30 years, Coleman supplies his community with tasty, fresh, organic food year-round. Year-round! In Maine!

Virginia, surely we have something to learn from him!

So if you've got some time this weekend, please join us. It's even free, so you'll be a cheap date. I'll leave you with a favorite quote from Coleman: "Information is like compost; it does no good unless you spread it around.”

To recap:
Organic farmer Eliot Coleman will give a lecture and demonstration workshop at the University of Virginia's Hereford Residential College on Sunday, February 13, 2011.

The lecture is from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Green Room in Runk Dining Hall. The workshop will take place from 3 to 4 p.m. at Hereford College's mini-farm on Hereford Drive. Directions here.

The events are free and open to the public. Free parking is available at the site.

Sponsored by Hereford Residential College, UVA Dining Services, Local Food Hub, and the UVA Food Collaborative.

Upcoming Event: SPIN Farming comes to Virginia

2011-02-07T14:47:00.000-05:00

Goodbye lawn, hello farm!
SPIN Farming is coming to Virginia!

Local Food Hub is excited to announce a daylong SPIN Farming workshop on Saturday, March 12 from 8am–4pm at our Educational Farm at Maple Hill in Scottsville, VA. The workshop and demonstration will be conducted by SPIN expert, Linda Borghi, and will include planning, design, production, and marketing, as well as hands-on work in a future SPIN plot on our farm.

Haven't heard of SPIN Farming? Well check it out: S-mall P-lot IN-tensive (SPIN) Farming is a non-technical, easy-to-understand, and inexpensive-to-implement farming system that makes it possible to earn income from small plots by growing vegetables.

These methods can work whether you are new to farming, or want to farm in a new way. Why?

The revenue formulas and organic-based techniques make it possible to gross $50,000+ from a half-acre.
You don't need to own acres of land! Use your backyard, your front lawn, or rent/barter a small piece of land adequate in size for SPIN-Farming production.
It works in the city, it works in the country, it works in the 'burbs.

So if you've been dreaming of having your own organic farm or just making some extra money with those green thumbs of yours, this workshop is for you!

Register today -- space is limited!

SPIN Farming Workshop
Date: Saturday, March 12, 2011
Time: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Location: Local Food Hub Educational Farm
Cost: $100 (includes class, SPIN How-To guide, access to list-serve, and tons of hand-outs)
Register: info@localfoodhub.org | (434) 286-2176.

image credit: andrea dunlap/Creative Commons

Winter Inspiration

2011-01-27T17:09:00.000-05:00

I had a bit of a "moment" on my way to the farm today. I'd been up for a few hours, drinking coffee and waiting for the roads to clear -- so maybe I was just over-caffeinated, or maybe it was a new favorite song on the radio, but mostly I think it was the way the sun was glinting just so off the snow from last night's storm. Carter's Mountain looked silver-capped and gilded in ice, the pines hung low and heavy along the road, and the sloping, golden farmland looked laced with snow.

The sights at Maple Hill were just as gorgeous (and safer to capture on camera -- no stopping in the middle of Route 20 to snag a shot, for example): colorful despite the season and textured with lines, patterns and shapes. See for yourself:

Clean Your Plate: Walmart Edition

2011-01-22T10:18:00.000-05:00

As many of you probably heard, Walmart (and the First Lady) recently announced a plan to make thousands of its packaged foods healthier and to drop prices on fruits and vegetables. This came on the heels of a pledge made this fall to increase their purchasing of locally-grown foods to at least nine percent by 2015.

This week's Clean Your Plate is dedicated to the supercenter behemoth. Why? Well, like everything about Walmart, it comes down to size. With more than 2,750 superstores nationwide, Walmart owns a whopping 25 percent share of the U.S. grocery market. In other words, of every dollar Americans spend on groceries, a quarter goes to Walmart.

So, a two-pronged pledge that involves 1) reducing sodium, trans fat and sugar in its Great Value brand of packaged foods and 2) somehow reducing the prices of fruits and vegetables, has the potential to make a huge dent in our waistlines. Or does it?

There's no doubt that Americans are consuming too much bad stuff -- but will changing the recipe (in relatively small ways) really make a difference? And, will making fruits and vegetables even cheaper (without making the prices on processed food more accurate) mean more people will buy and eat them? And don't get me started on a particularly insidious part of the plan that involves addressing food deserts by, you guessed it, building more Walmarts.

In any case, other people have written more extensively and eloquently about the announcement -- a selection of my favorites appears below. I think you'll find the difference of opinion quite interesting.

Have something to say about the new plan? An article you think we should read? Let us know in the comments.

Jane Black: Why Walmart got it right
Tom Philpott: Walmart vows to use its power for good food, not evil
The Atlantic: The meaning of Walmart's healthy foods announcement
Marion Nestle: What are we to think about Walmart's healthy food initiatives
Fooducate Blog: Walmart's nutrition initiative: PR or substance?
Melanie Warner: Why the Walmart-Michelle Obama plan for healthy eating is doomed

A few other Walmart articles you might enjoy:

Fresh Air: The bigger the Wal-Mart, the fatter the shoppers
Anthony Flaccavento: Walmart and the end of the local food movement
Change.org: Walmart would kill jobs, lower wages in NY

image credit: mjb84/Creative Commons

To Bee or Not to Bee...

2011-01-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

For years now, honeybees have been getting hammered by a mysterious plague that has a name — colony collapse disorder — but no proven cause. New studies are now indicating that pesticides are the probable culprit; “unprecedented levels” have been found in hives across the U.S. and parts of Canada.

And, in a scandal to rival Wikileaks, leaked documents show that the EPA allowed the continued use of these pesticides, despite warnings by their own scientists. A sticky situation, indeed.

The loss of the world's honeybee population would be a devastating blow to the viability of our food supply.

A Cornell University study has estimated that honeybees annually pollinate more than $15 - 20 billion worth of seeds and crops in the U.S. “Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a honeybee to pollinate that food,” said Zac Browning, vice president of the American Beekeeping Federation.

Check out this beautifully done infographic for a visual representation of the issue.

So, what can you do? Well, you can start by getting educated.

This Sunday, join your fellow bee-concerned citizens at the Haven for a screening of "Queen of the Sun," an in-depth investigation to discover causes and solutions behind the honeybee collapse, featuring such notables as Michael Pollan, Gunther Hauk and Vandana Shiva. Stay for a panel discussion and a honey tasting following the film.

What: Screening of "Queen of the Sun" and panel discussion
When: Sunday, January 23 | 4 - 6:30pm
Where: The Haven at First & Market
How Much: $5 suggested donation; parking validated at the Water Street garage

From the website: Queen of The Sun follows the voices and visions of underrepresented beekeepers, philosophers, and scientists around the world, all struggling for the survival of the bees. While other bee films focus exclusively on commercial beekeepers, this film emphasizes the biodynamic and organic communities who have differing opinions from many commercial beekeepers and are overlooked in other films.

Statistics Make Me Happy

2011-01-11T10:31:00.003-05:00

Whoo hoo! The Census Bureau has released the 2011 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.! Ok, ok, that may not be a major cause for excitement for some you, but I love this kind of stuff.

Dig down deep enough and you can see how many pounds of asparagus we're consuming per person (1.2, if you must know), how many gallons of coffee we drink (24.2!), and how much cheddar we're scarfing (9.9lbs). I could keep that up forever. All of those numbers are for 2008, but it's also interesting to see how things change over a period of years.

I spent some time yesterday pulling out what I thought to be interesting tidbits, but you should have a go of it yourself, too, when you get a moment.

Since 2000:

Red meat consumption is down 5.4 lbs to 108.3 lbs per capita.
Veggie consumption is down 30 lbs to 392.7 lbs per capita.
Fruit consumption is down 35 lbs to 250.9 lbs per capita.
Yogurt consumption is up 9.9 lbs to 21.9 lbs.
Wine consumption is up half a gallon to 2.5 gallons per capita.
Coffee consumption is down 2.1 gallons to 24.2 gallons per capita.
High fructose corn syrup is down 9.5 lbs to 53.1 lbs per year (but isn't it shocking to see what it was in 1980: 19 lbs per capita).
Sadly the soda and carbonated beverage numbers are "N/A" -- not sure why.

There's also some great agriculture statistics. For example:

Overall, the number of farms in the U.S. has increased (2,167,000 to 2,200,000). Yea!
But the number of farms in Virginia has decreased (49,000 to 47,000). Boo.
Average farm size has decreased from 436 acres to 418.
Organic farmland covers 4.8 million acres, a 170% increase!
Honeybee colonies are down 23 percent to 2,462,000 since 2000.
And last but not least, there are now five states—Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, and South Dakota—that have more pigs than people.

You can pick out your own favorite factoids by looking at the health and nutrition and the agriculture statistical tables. Let us know what you find!

Clean Your Plate: Around the Web

2011-01-07T14:33:00.000-05:00

We're bringing back the Friday Clean Your Plate round-up in 2011! You can help us keep it going by sending along your own good food reads: info[at]localfoodhub.org or send us a tweet!

Here we go:

A great new years resolution piece by our favorite agri-poet, Wendell Berry. Highly recommended to lift your spirits.
Keeping with the theme, check out Francis Lam's 2011 goal: no more cheap chicken. Could you do it?
Maybe you could just replace chicken with some invasive species instead! Forget locavores, invasivores are where it's at!
Great piece by the chairman of Burpee Seeds: Let's make 2011 the year of the vegetable!
Think you don't have time to cook real food? Think again. Three easy, basic recipes to add to your repetoire. Gotta love Bittman.
The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love: a great book review. Haven't read it yet, but it's on my list.
Frustrations grow over schoolyard gardens in MD, thanks to some pretty silly comments and concerns by the Superintendent. We're lucky here in C'ville, that's for sure.
Suggestions and thoughts on eating locally in the winter (granted, not particularly helpful at this point).
And finally: is anyone taking part in the Fourth Annual Dark Days Challenge? Basically you cook four meals each month (1 per week) focused on SOLE (sustainable, organic, local, ethical) ingredients, write about it on your blog. See the link for more details. Anyone?

Have a great weekend, and stay warm out there!

image credit: chiots run/Creative Commons

Help Us Reach Our Goal: Three Days Left!

2010-12-28T12:55:00.002-05:00

Dear friends,
This year has been filled with amazing local food successes. We've helped more than 50 small family farms stay profitable and productive. We've provided fresh, healthy food to thousands of public school children. We've expanded your access to local food in places like UVA Hospital, low-income neighborhoods, and many independent grocery stores and restaurants. And we've graduated three young farm apprentices and four high school interns from our Educational Farm.

Today, we need your help to continue and expand our programming in 2011. When you give a tax-deductible gift to Local Food Hub now, you provide us with the momentum to move forward into the new year, equipped and prepared to keep our local farms growing and our community healthy. It's easy to give using our safe and secure online donation service.

And the best part is, when you give in 2010, your tax-deductible gift will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $50,000, by the Charlottesville-based Perry Foundation. This will effectively double the impact of your contribution.

So please give today if you care about:

healthy food in schools;
more farmland and less development;
keeping our area's family farms in business;
better access to fresh, delicious, local food;
proving that local is more than a trend;
combating food deserts; and
growing the next generation of farmers.

Your support has gotten us this far — please consider renewing your gift before the end of the year!

Thank you.

With best wishes for a happy, healthy, delicious 2011,

--the Local Food Hub team

A Top Ten for 2010.

2010-12-15T12:29:00.000-05:00

Driving down Route 95 Monday, I saw no less than three billboards frantically reminding me that there are only 12 shopping days left until Christmas (today there are only 10). I'm not a big holiday shopper, so those billboards don't really induce anxiety attacks, but they do make me think about how close we are to 2011.

And that makes me think of lists. December is always full of them: top ten albums, top ten books, top ten movies...even the top 10 tweets! I figured Local Food Hub should get in on the list-making fun, too, so without further ado:

My Top 10 Favorite Things that Local Food Hub Did in 2010:

10. Moved more than 45,000 pounds of local watermelons.
Oh, my aching back! This one speaks for itself. Our warehouse moved more than 45,000 pounds of watermelons grown by local farmers this summer. You folks like your melons!

9. Hosted the Southwood Photography Project.
Turning loose a group of kids armed with cameras on a farm has never been so fun. Check out a firsthand account of the day and view a slide show. Oh, did I mention they made a book?!

8. Benefited from a Dave Matthews concert.
Thanks to the generosity and creative thinking of our hometown rock stars and their adoring fans, this concert raised more than $75,000 for Local Food Hub. What an impact.

7. Graduated three apprentices and four high school interns.
Brian, Sarah and Tess spent eight months living and working (and sweating) at Maple Hill. Brian is staying on next year as a senior apprentice (and we're accepting applications for the 2011 season). And our interns, oh where do we start? How about here, with this video.

6. Garnered some pretty excellent national attention.
USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan toured our warehouse. NRCS Chief Dave White visited the farm. Know Your Farmer Know Your Food wrote about us. Tom Philpott came to see us, and we got a shout-out in the WaPo. We're making waves, people!

5. Supplied more than 45 schools with fresh fruits and vegetables.
We deliver fresh fruits and vegetables to schools in Albemarle and Greene County, the City of Charlottesville, three UVA dining halls, St. Anne's Belfield and Charlottesville Day School. And during Farm to School week, more than 11,000 kids had the option of a fresh, local lunch. Yum.

4. Partnered with Boys & Girls Club to host pop-up farmers markets.
These farmers markets, hosted weekly in the Southwood Mobile Home Park, are helping to get fresh, healthy food into traditionally under served neighborhoods, also called food deserts. We're expanding the program in the spring to include the Cherry Avenue neighborhood!

3. Donated more than 50,000 pounds of produce to food banks.
We think everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy food grown in their community. That's why we donate 5% of warehouse sales and 25% of food grown on our farm to places like the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, the Haven and Bread of Life.

2. Inspired Perry Foundation to double your gift.
Thanks to some creative thinkers at this local foundation, every gift we receive between now and the end of 2010 will be matched, dollar for dollar. These funds keep our truck on the road, our farmers in business, and fresh food in your community. Please help us take advantage of this opportunity by donating today.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

1. Delivered more than $460,000 worth of local fruits, vegetables and eggs from 50 family farms to more than 100 buyers.
In just 15 months, we've delivered almost half a million dollars worth of local food to our hospitals, schools, restaurants and grocery stores. That's food that was originally being shipped in from out of state; money that's staying right here in our local economy; and fresh healthy food for our kids, our families and our community.

Congratulations Charlottesville, and thanks to all the big thinkers that have supported our efforts so far. You made this entire list possible!

Cheers to a happy, healthy and delicious 2011.

image credit: Fred Jackson / Creative Commons

Attention Future Farmers: Now Accepting Apprenticeship Applications

2010-12-06T15:08:00.000-05:00

The month of October was bittersweet. It marked the end of our first apprenticeship season and the sad departure of Tess and Sarah (thank goodness Brian is staying around for next year).

But, it's also an exciting time because now we're hiring for next year! And did we mention that the program is expanding? That's right: in 2011, Local Food Hub will be hiring FIVE farm apprentices to work at our Educational Farm at Maple Hill.

Interested? We are looking for four farm production apprentices as well as one farm education apprentice. Apprentices will work from March through October and on-farm housing is available.

Application information is available on our ATTRA page.

FARM PRODUCTION APPRENTICE DETAILS:

The goal of the Local Food Hub's apprenticeship program is to provide a hands-on training ground for aspiring farmers by teaching the basic concepts and applications of organic food production and distribution, while working within a small nonprofit service organization.

Apprentices are exposed to all aspects of food production, including irrigation, soil and pest management, harvesting, and marketing through a combination of hands-on learning, workshops and field trips. Although most of the time is spent working on the farm, apprentices may also be required to work with community partners as well as participate in our education and food access projects. This blend of technical training and community involvement is what makes our program a unique and enriching experience.

Good attitude, excellent work ethic and great communication skills are essential; good sense of humor also appreciated. Apprentices are expected to work equally well with a team or independently. Some previous farming or gardening experience is required.

FARM EDUCATION APPRENTICE DETAILS:

The Farm Education Apprenticeship will have a unique focus on Local Food Hub's education and volunteer programs. The apprentice will spend at least half of their time on these activities and the other half on farm tasks. Education programs include, but are not limited to: school field trips, volunteer activities, high-school internships, and teen service projects. Farm tasks include vegetable production, warehouse work, greenhouse management and chicken care.

The ideal candidate for this position will have some knowledge of agriculture, farming or gardening. Experience working with kids (preferably at-risk) is required, as is a good work ethic, positive attitude and sense of humor. Apprentices are expected to work in all weather conditions and until the job is done. This is a invaluable opportunity for someone interested in sustainable farming, food, nonprofit work and community education.

If this sounds like the right fit for you, hop on over to our ATTRA page for details. If you know someone who would be a great candidate, please forward it along!

Report from Terra Madre (better late than never!)

2010-11-29T12:32:00.001-05:00

Local Food Hub staffer Lisa Reeder took a few days off from the end-of-season hustle at our warehouse to fly to Torino, Italy for the biennial Terra Madre conference, an international meeting of Slow Food delegates from around the world.

She was kind enough to write about her travels, so today we feature her report from Terra Madre!

Terra Madre is an international forum in which food producers, educators, activists and chefs meet to exchange ideas and to further the tenets of Slow Food - that food should be Good, Clean and Fair. As a new member of the new Albemarle Piedmont Slow Food Chapter, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the conference or from myself in that setting. Admittedly, I do enjoy a bit of a love affair with Italian food and food culture, dictated as it is by fierce devotion to regional specialties and a respect for seasonality...

There were 4000 delegates to Terra Madre, representing 150 countries and, perhaps more importantly, an impressive number of indigenous and native populations. To see people in their traditional dress, and hear their languages, and touch the seeds and taste the food that they brought to share, was to realize that this Earth is a vast and varied place, and that every culture has a living, vibrant relationship with the earth that is, in part, defined by food.

A highlight of the conference was the meeting of delegates from the United States, some 700 in number and representing all 50 states. Each speaker was more inspiring than the last, and as they gave brief overviews of the projects in their corners of the country, I felt a sense of inspiration, and hope. Carlo Petrini, Slow Food founder and president, issued the benediction that best sums up my feelings: to paraphrase, he said the revolution has already begun, and it happens through our work every day. While change might not be evident on a small scale, farmers are the world’s largest peaceful army, implacable as snails (the symbol of Slow Food) and working in accord with the Earth, and so this movement cannot go wrong.

I was filled with a fierce pride at his words. To consider our work here at the Local Food Hub, and at other community-minded projects around the country, as part of an international agrarian uprising on behalf of the Earth, is to set aside any personal agenda and instead devote my efforts to a larger purpose. Fortunately, that larger purpose happens to be delicious.

So I have returned from Terra Madre with tales of wild boar and polenta flavored with juniper, hand-dried golden plum jam from Sicily, and neat rows of cavolo nero, nebbiolo grapes, and hazelnut trees. I have returned with quinoa seeds from Ecuador, hoping to find someone or somewhere to cultivate them. But most importantly, I bring to you a message from Terra Madre: The work we do here is vitally important. Do not be discouraged, and do not be deterred. The revolution is happening.

Lisa Reeder also publishes her writing on her own blog: A Local Notion.

Where's the Beef?!

2010-11-23T17:38:00.000-05:00

The "We're thankful for..." posts continue today with a recap of Farm to School week and a shout-out to one of our supporters who really made the grade.

In case you missed it, November 8 - 12 marked the Virginia's second annual Farm to School. More than 25 schools in our area participated, serving up local apples, potatoes, broccoli, winter squash, cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms, and grass-fed beef. By the end of the week, more than 11,000 students had the option of purchasing a school lunch made with local foods. Impressive!

Local Food Hub visited a few of the participating schools that week, and had a blast talking to kids, checking out the menu, and of course sampling local apples and local apple cider. One of my favorite parts, though, was talking with the cafeteria managers about how we can make the Farm to School connection last all year, not just during a week in November.

Public schools face a real conundrum when it comes to lunch programs. With less than $2 per child to spend on lunch (including utensils, napkins, trays and milk), there's not a lot of flexibility; often the choice comes down to what's cheaper, not what's more nutritious. Local Food Hub does our best to work within the constraints of their budget, but it's a delicate dance -- while schools require very low prices, family farmers need to make a fair wage for their labor.

That's why we were so excited this summer to receive a grant from Sofia Case and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. Designated specifically to bridge the gap between what local food costs and what schools can afford, this gift allowed public schools in Charlottesville and Albemarle to feature fresh, locally-produced grass-fed beef (a far cry from this) on their menus all week.

In fact, this $1,000 grant helped feed more than 4,000 kids. When you think about it, that's a small investment for a really big impact. And that's why we're thankful for Sofia's gift -- it's smart, out-of-the-box thinking that made a serious difference to school kids, parents, and farmers right here in our community.

So thank you, Sofia, and thanks to everyone who's working hard to make school lunches healthy, affordable, and local!

If you're interested in supporting our work with Farm to School, you can contact us at info (at) localfoodhub.org or donate online!

So Much to Say

2010-11-22T17:02:00.000-05:00

After the nuttiness of last week, culminating in Friday night's awesome Dave Matthews Band concert to benefit Local Food Hub, we're feeling plenty thankful for a short work week and an excuse to stuff our faces with mom's mac n' cheese and pumpkin pie.

But before we head out for the holiday, we have a little thanks of our own to give. The next few posts are dedicated to Local Food Hub supporters that are thinking outside of the box to make an impact in their community.

First up, we want to thank Dave Matthews Band, the folks at Red Light Management and everyone else (you know who you are!) who made the concert, the VIP reception and the entire event possible, and go off without a hitch. It was a lovely affair with a lot of really nice, generous people, and we were so proud and honored to have been a part of it.

We also want to thank every single ticket holder from Friday's concert. Whether you found yourself in the best seat in the house or the worst, splurged for a VIP ticket or decided on general admission, by choosing to attend that concert on that night, you also chose to show your support for Local Food Hub, for small family farms, and for good food grown close to home.

This, to me, is one of the best parts about working for a small, community-supported nonprofit: seeing the creative ways people come together to leverage their power and show their support.

Whether it's a famous band holding a benefit concert, fans choosing to buy tickets that support a cause, or individuals making donations, spreading the word, and buying local food, these are all examples of people using their power as consumers and community members to make big things possible. You have more superpowers than than you think!

Check back tomorrow to find out how a supporter is bridging the gap between farm and school.

Workshop Announcement: Getting Ready for 2011

2010-11-08T13:25:00.001-05:00

Attention established and aspiring farmers! Join us for the last workshop of our 2010 season: Looking Back, Planning Ahead, and Getting Started.

Anthony Flaccavento will be on hand to review your past season, analyze what worked and what didn't, and help you determine how to best move forward in 2011!

Bring any and all records from the past season, including:
   -calendars with planting/picking dates
   -production records
   -sales records (for Local Food Hub and other markets)
   -farm plans, including crop layout

This class will be useful for longtime farmers as well as those just starting an operation, so come one, come all!

Date: November 11, 2011
Time: 4:30pm - 7:00pm
Location: Maple Hill Farm, Scottsville VA
Cost: Free for partner producers, $35 general public
RSVP: please email kate (at) localfoodhub.org.

image credit: Jay Paul

Can You Dig It? Farm to School Virginia 2010

2010-11-05T13:12:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since I've ordered from a school cafeteria menu. But, if they're anything like they were when I was in school (and something tells me they are), then it goes like this: Monday: Pizza; Tuesday: Nuggets; Wednesday: Pizza; Thursday: Corn Dogs; Friday: Pizza.

But next week, that's all set to change for kids in Albemarle County, Charlottesville City and Greene County Schools thanks to Farm to School Week 2010. Started just last year, Farm to School is now an official annual occurrence, thanks to House Joint Resolution 95 passed in 2009.

And, like last year, Local Food Hub is excited to be a part of the action. The best part is that this year, lots of schools are participating, and they're doing so in a big way. More than 25 schools are purchasing local, fresh, healthy food for their lunch programs in and around Charlottesville. By my math, that means more than 11,000 public school children will have the option to purchase a healthy lunch next week.

The schools are buying great stuff, too: apples, potatoes, broccoli, winter squash, cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms, and grass-fed beef are just a few of the things Local Food Hub will be delivering over the next few days. Chef salads, soft tacos, steamed broccoli, shepherds pie, baked sweet potatoes and lasagna -- all made from local, fresh ingredients -- will grace menus across the city and county, thanks to great effort by school staff and parents. All are a far cry from the corn dogs and frozen pizza from my school days.

In addition to making the purchase and delivery of this food possible, Local Food Hub will also be providing informational materials about the farms where the food was produced, and a few of us (myself and Steve!) will be attending schools during lunch hours to talk with kids and sample some apples. Fun!

“Virginia schools spend more than $6 million annually on fresh produce. Farm to School Week gives us a great opportunity to keep those dollars right here in our community, while also providing healthy, fresh foods for our kids.” says Local Food Hub Director Kate Collier. “Our dedicated community of individual supporters and foundations has been integral in making all of this possible. We hope the excitement around local food will encourage more people to get involved with Local Food Hub!”

One way you can make sure that Farm to School Week 2010 is a success is by participating! Encourage your kids to buy lunch next week, and spread the word to parents and teachers, too. If the response from the community is great, we know the schools will keep it up!

We're also really excited about some creative thinking by Sofia Case and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. Check back next week to see how they helped to bridge the gap on pricing for a portion of the foods supplied during Farm to School Week!

USDA NRCS Chief Dave White Has “High Tunnel” Vision

2010-10-27T14:00:00.003-04:00

L to R: Director Kate Collier, Farm Manager Steve Vargo, Farm Manager Adrianna Vargo, Director Marisa Vrooman,
USDA NRCS Chief Dave White, Communications Manager Emily Manley. Image credit: NRCS.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Dave White sprouted energy and enthusiasm when he stopped by our Maple Hill Farm for a look at the Local Food Hub’s seasonal high tunnel last week. He not only greeted our staff warmly but also planted the seeds of a high-energy discussion on future networking and partnering opportunities.

When Chief White parked his truck on the drive Friday afternoon, he quickly made it clear that he had done his homework about our operations here in Charlottesville. He joined Virginia NRCS State Conservationist Jack Bricker, local District Conservationist Kory Kirkland, and other NRCS field staff on site for a closer look at an operational high tunnel.

For the uninitiated, high tunnels are portable structures that can increase the availability of locally-grown produce in a conservation-friendly way. Made of ribs of plastic or metal pipe covered with a layer of plastic sheeting, high tunnels are assembled on site and can be easily maintained. Unlike greenhouses, they require no energy, relying on natural sunlight to modify the climate inside to create more favorable conditions for vegetable and other specialty crops.

Virginia NRCS provided about $200,000 in funding for 63 high tunnels through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and EQIP Organics programs. We received EQIP funding to install our high tunnel, completed in early September of this year, and are already using it to extend our growing season and offer crops that are in high demand for a much longer period of time.

The chief’s visit coincided with the one-year anniversary of the highly-popular pilot program and he was looking for some solid feedback on the conservation benefits of this pilot program. Standing amid the mesclun mix, Chief White quizzed farm managers Steve and Adrianna Vargo about their experience with the high tunnel and conservation benefits such as reducing pesticide use, keeping vital nutrients in the soil, conserving water, extending the growing season, and increasing yields.

He and other NRCS field staff were also energized about our use of the high tunnel as a teaching tool to engage participating producers in conservation and organic production. We held one class on season extension techniques and tools in mid-September and are planning other offerings in the near future.
Established as part of the USDA “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative, the high tunnel pilot program is an example of innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture. Where high tunnels are used year-round, they provide steady income to farmers — a significant benefit to owners of small farms and to limited resource and organic producers.

NRCS District Conservationist Kory Kirkland was extremely helpful in walking us through the application process to secure the high tunnel this year. Virginia NRCS will offer the high tunnel practice again in 2011 and will be partnering with us to offer more information about this and other conservation practices available to Charlottesville-area producers.

Eat Here and Feel Good!

2010-10-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

Have you been to Brookville yet? Well, if reviews like this one from Mas to Millers, or this one from edible cville (see best new restaurant, runner-up) haven't convinced you yet, maybe this will! A new announcement on the Brookville blog states that on every Tuesday and Wednesday of every month, they will be donating $1 per guest to designated charities.

Of course, we're partial to the first Tuesday and Wednesday of every month, when the dollars will go to support Local Food Hub!

We have to commend Chef Harrison Keevil on his dedication to family farms and local food. Not everyone walks the walk, but Brookville does (we know because he buys a ton of local food from us every week). In fact, we knew Chef Keevil before he ever opened Brookville -- because he volunteered at our warehouse in Ivy.

So, starting this week, check out Brookville and get some tasty food that's good for your heart, your mind, and your belly. And tell 'em Local Food Hub sent ya.

image credit: Mas to Millers

Make This Now.

2010-10-26T10:00:00.013-04:00

I spent much of this past Saturday putting in my winter garden at the farm. A couple modest rows of spinach, kale, chard, beets and carrots should (*fingers crossed*) keep me happy for the next few months... though I'll have to wait until summer to reap the rewards of my garlic. Thank goodness for scapes.

Before I left the farm, I loaded up the car with a box full of my most valuable farm harvest this year: butternut squash. This was the first time I've ever tried growing these, and surprisingly, about eight or 10 plants yielded something like 50 butternuts -- apparently these hearty gourds like the miserable heat and drought-like conditions of our past summer season. Bonus!

If you know me, then you know that butternuts are the key to my starchy, golden-orange heart, so this is a rich harvest indeed. I'm the queen of butternut soup, I know my way around butternut pasta and risotto, and I've perfected my roasting technique, so this weekend I tried something different. And it was so darn good, I just have to share it with you.

Sauteed Beluga Lentils & Butternut Squash:

The squash is seasoned, roasted, and then tossed with lentils, herbs, and a light dressing, and wow -- it's great. The lentils provide a bit of texture, the Dijon mustard and the vinegar add a little zing, and the squash is, well, you know how I feel about squash. Thank you, Sprouted Kitchen, for this lovely (and easy) addition to my repertoire.

I implore all of you who share the butternut obsession to make this recipe as soon as you can. Our warehouse is packed with fresh, locally grown butternut squash, so I know you can find them now at many of our independent grocers and markets. Then, after you've feasted, come back here and tell me how you liked it.

A few notes. Beluga lentils do not exist within Charlottesville City limits -- or, at least, I couldn't find them (let me know if you do!). I substituted French lentils and it was still delicious. I also skipped the basil, doubled the parsley, and subbed white wine vinegar for the apple cider vinegar.

image credit: Sprouted Kitchen

24 Hours of Tom!

2010-10-23T17:00:00.000-04:00

This just in: On Monday, October 25, Congressman Tom Perriello will be visiting our warehouse to do a bit of volunteer work and meet with interested community members.

He'll be staying for about 45 minutes, so if you're available, please join him. Bring your questions, your comments, your thoughts and your thinking caps, and get involved in our local democracy! No matter how you're leaning in this election, Congressman Perriello welcomes the opportunity to speak with you.

The Local Food Hub warehouse is located at 556 Dettor Road, Charlottesville VA 22903. Go left through the chain link fence, and we're around the back of the building.

Questions about the campaign? Please contact Perriello representative, Jessica Barba at (434) 882-4163.

Questions about the warehouse? Please contact us at info (at) localfoodhub.org

Hope to see you there!

USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan Visits Local Food Hub!

2010-10-15T17:19:00.000-04:00

(L to R: Dep. Sec. Kathleen Merrigan, Local Food Hub Director Marisa Vrooman, USDA Rural Development State Director Ellen Davis, and Local Food Hub Director Kate Collier pose with local pumpkins and one very pregnant belly!)

Back in early 2009, Kathleen Merrigan was appointed Deputy Secretary of the USDA, and sustainable agriculture advocates across the nation sighed. With relief. Championed as "ferocious," "battle-tested," and "a real reformer," Merrigan was even listed as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. Merrigan has already made great strides to support small producers and regional food systems, most notably with her brainchild, Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food, a robust suite of programs, funds, and marketing campaigns designed to champion the local food movement.

With all that in mind, we were honored yesterday to welcome Deputy Secretary Merrigan, USDA Rural Development State Director Ellen Davis, and Senator Mark Warner’s Outreach Director, Drew Denmore to the Local Food Hub warehouse for a tour of our facilities and a lively conversation about local food and small family farms.

Over freshly-pressed apple cider from Morris Orchard, we told the story of Local Food Hub -- how we got started, how lucky we are to have a community of supporters right here in Charlottesville, and what we're doing to bring fresh local food from farm to table. Farmers Carl Tinder and Tim Henley shared their experiences and told how partnership with Local Food Hub has helped them connect with buyers and advance their business. Even our apprentices and interns got in on the discussion, explaining how their experience at our Educational Farm has impacted their interest in farming.

Probably the most surprising part of the visit was when, after she'd heard our stories, Merrigan asked, “So what should the USDA be doing?” How often does that happen!? Not surprisingly, everyone had a lot of suggestions! Kate suggested that assisting in the duplication of successful aggregation models could be a start. And Marisa added that helping small farmers with working capital needs could help established growers expand production and aspiring farmers get off to a good start.

By the end of the visit, it was clear that Deputy Secretary Merrigan truly understands the challenges that face small farmers, rural communities and local food systems, and we we feel confident that she is invested in overcoming these problems. Her fresh sensibility, hands-on approach, and creative outlook are incredible assets to the USDA, and we are lucky to have her on our side!

Thank you Dr. Merrigan, for a fantastic visit, and thank YOU Charlottesville, for being believers, movers and shakers in the local food realm!

So, What IS On Your Plate (for Thursday)?

2010-10-06T10:42:00.000-04:00

If you're interested in the sustainable and local food movement, and craving a bit of intelligent discussion from the media — something we get far too little of these days — then sign out of Twitter, log out of Facebook, stop posting on your blog, and join the UVA Food Collaborative tomorrow (Thursday, Oct 7) for What’s On Your Plate: A Public Forum on Local Food and the Media.

An all-star panel will be in town to talk alternative agriculture, sustainable food, the local movement, and the media forces that are shaping our perceptions of the sustainable food movement. Come for the discussion, hear some different viewpoints, and figure out your place in all of it. Oh, and stay for a local food reception afterwards, too (including lots of Local Food Hub produce)!

Panelists include:

Tom Philpott, food editor for Grist.org and full-time farmer at Maverick Farms, a sustainable-agriculture nonprofit and small farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Read more of his writing here (including this, one of my favorite pieces from Grist).

Marian Burros, food columnist at the New York Times since 1992, and award-winning cookbook author and journalist. She is best known for her work in the fields of health and nutrition education, as well as consumer affairs issues and food safety reporting. Find more of her writing here.

James McWilliams, author of Just Food: Where Locavores Get it Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly, a fellow in the Agrarian Studies Program at Yale University, and an associate professor of history at Texas State University.

The discussion will take place at the LEED-certified Jefferson Scholars Foundation building at 112 Clarke Court from 4 to 6pm. Hope to see you there!

For more information about the panel and the UVA Food Collaborative, visit their website.

Community Gardens Bike Tour

2010-09-28T10:49:00.000-04:00

Looking for something to do this weekend? Look no further! Saddle up your bike and join the first annual Community Garden Bike Tour of Charlottesville! On Sunday, October 3, tour five of our town's amazing community gardens, by bike.

Meet at 1pm at the Bridge PAI, and finish there with good food courtesy of Slow Food Albemarle-Piedmont, cold beverages, door prizes and socializing.

Participating gardens:
UVa Community Garden
Hereford Residential College Mini-Farm
Buford Schoolyard Garden Project
The Haven's PATCH Garden
QCC Farms! Garden of Goodness

The tour is free for kids 16 and younger, $5 for UVa students, and $10 for the general public. All proceeds benefit the Buford Schoolyard Garden Project, the Haven's PATCH garden, and QCC Farms!

For more information, please visit cvillebiketour.blogspot.com

Want to join the tour? Space is limited; to reserve your spot, email cvilleopengardens [at] gmail [dot] com.

The bike tour is made possible by some great sponsors:

Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation
Bike Charlottesville
Blue Ridge Backyard Harvest
The Bridge PAI
Charlottesville Open Garden Project
Community Bikes
Slow Food Albemarle Piedmont

image credit.

Dave Matthews Band Concert Update!

2010-09-21T15:47:00.000-04:00

You may remember a few weeks ago we announced that our friends in the Dave Matthews Band had chosen Local Food Hub as the beneficiary of their VIP concert reception on November 19th.

That was exciting.

Well, now we're back with something even better! We have a very limited number of super-VIP ticket packages available for our supporters, friends, Facebook fans and blog readers! That's right, YOU!

The offer includes:

a meet-and-greet with Dave himself (!)
an exclusive backstage reception hosted by DMB and Red Light Management
concert ticket with your choice of reserved seats or general admission floor seating
gourmet dinner buffet and beverages
parking on site at the venue
and a raffle ticket for a great package of signed DMB items

Packages are limited and on a first come, first served basis, so if you're interested, hop to it and email Marisa: marisa [at] localfoodhub.org right now!

Packages are $750 each, and all proceeds will benefit Local Food Hub.

Hope to see you there!

image credit: wittlz/Creative Commons

Video: Finding a Cure for Hospital Food

2010-09-14T16:38:00.000-04:00

When you think about hospital food, the last thing that likely comes to mind is healthy, fresh, delicious food. It's probably something closer to this: mushy, tasteless mystery meats and veggies, pureed beyond recognition. Isn't it ironic that in the very place you go to get well, the food they serve could be so very bad?

But things are changing...at least they are at the University of Virginia Hospital. Together, Local Food Hub and UVA Health Systems (the department that handles food purchasing) have created a unique partnership that is both improving hospital food and supporting local family farms.

Feeding the Change
UVA Health Systems Purchasing Manager Dale Haskins is a personal believer in local food and is a major part of why the hospital has become one of the Local Food Hub’s most successful buyers. With an annual budget of around $600,000 dedicated solely to purchasing produce, Haskins has made a great effort to keep much of that spending local by buying directly from the Local Food Hub.

On any given day, the hospital serves food to all of its patients, 125 children in a day-care program, 225 ‘meals on wheels,’ and operates a full-service cafeteria for staff and visitors. Produce from Local Food Hub often makes the menu whether through the use of local tomatoes, onions, squash, green peppers or whatever happens to be fresh and in season that day. Patrons swear that the the food tastes fresher than it used to, and have even marveled about eating the “best tomatoes” they’ve ever had. In a hospital, no less. Can you believe it?!

In addition, the hospital also hosts a weekly indoor farmer's market open to anyone passing through, including staff, visitors, and patients. The tables are piled high with fresh, local offerings provided by Local Food Hub and sourced from small family farms surrounding Charlottesville.

Making it Work
Large institutional buyers and small local farms haven't always been able to play nicely. Often, big businesses can't (or won't) source produce from many individual farms when they can purchase everything from one conventional produce supplier. And small farms face insurmountable barriers like liability insurance requirements and accounting challenges that prevent them from accessing these markets in the first place.

Local Food Hub helps to connect buyers and farmers in a way that benefits both. By purchasing food from local farms for a fair price, and then selling and distributing to institutions, restaurants and markets, Local Food Hub has created "one number to call" for local food while also supplying the required liability insurance, traceability, and refrigerated delivery.

When large buyers like UVA Hospital keep their spending local, it can have a big impact on the economy. According to a recent report by the Wallace Center and the BALLE, every dollar spent at a local business can have two to four times the economic impact of a dollar spent on a non-local business by generating jobs, income and wealth.

Supporting local farmers has been one of the best takeaways from this partnership, and it is at the core of what the Local Food Hub strives to accomplish. Alan Moore, head of sales at Local Food Hub raved about working with Dale and the hospital. “It has been a pleasure seeing firsthand how UVA Hospital really believes in supporting its local community and has been such a steadfast supporter of the Local Food Hub,” Moore said.

Not only has the partnership between UVA Health Systems and Local Food Hub been successful, it's also providing a model for how large institutions can move away from imported, industrialized vegetables and towards a sustainable, healthy local food economy that benefits patients, farmers and the community alike.

A Homecoming: Exciting News!

2010-09-10T16:06:00.000-04:00

The sad news: Dave Matthews Band is taking 2011 off from touring.

The happy news: They're wrapping up their 2010 tour schedule with a homecoming! The band will be returning to their old stomping grounds of Charlottesville for two concerts scheduled in November at the John Paul Jones Arena.

The even happier news: We are thrilled and excited to share with you that Local Food Hub has been named the beneficiary of the Friday, November 19th VIP pre-concert reception! As part of the promotion, special VIP ticket packages will be sold through the band's fan club site -- and all proceeds from those sales will go towards the work of Local Food Hub.

On behalf of our local farmers, our local community and our local kids, all of whom will undoubtedly benefit from this honor, Local Food Hub would like to extend an enormous thanks to the Dave Matthews Band for their support!

More information on the VIP tickets can be found on the Warehouse website. VIP packages are available to Warehouse members and are listed as separate event listings on the Request Tickets page. The VIP Packages are $275.00 per person (plus applicable convenience and handling fees) and include a concert ticket (choice of Reserved seating or GA Floor Standing) access to an exclusive hospitality area with a complimentary gourmet buffet and beverages and a limited-edition souvenir laminate. Members may request up to 4 regular priced tickets and 4 VIP Packages for each of the Charlottesville shows. Please note there will be no dedicated VIP viewing area on the arena floor.

image credit: FromTheNorth/Creative Commons

Back to Your Roots

2010-09-07T10:58:00.000-04:00

Last week, we worked with JABA to host a fantastic group of Scottsville-area seniors to the farm. The trip was part of a larger program that will allow seniors in Charlottesville and Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, and Nelson counties to visit local farms and farmer’s markets, promoting healthy eating and aging with opportunities to exercise and socialize. Indeed, many of our visitors spent their childhoods on farms around Virginia, so it was a real pleasure to hear their experiences (and advice)! We hope they come back soon!

Grow It Year Round!

2010-09-02T11:40:00.000-04:00

Summer is winding down, but that doesn't mean you have to pack up the garden and twiddle your thumbs until spring. It is possible to grow food year round, you just need the right techniques!

Join us on Thursday, September 9th for a season extension workshop, led by nationally-acclaimed sustainable agriculture guru, Anthony Flaccavento. From low tunnels to high tunnels, pre-fab kits to original designs, learn strategies and crop choices to improve your yields, access new markets, and keep your garden going strong through the cold weather. Cover cropping and soil amendments will be discussed, and you'll be able to check out the newly built 30'x72' Farm Tek high tunnel.

When: Thursday, September 9, 4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Where: Maple Hill Farm, 7129 Scottsville Rd, Scottsville, VA
How: Free for partner producers, $35 for general public

Please RSVP to marisa [at] localfoodhub.org or (434) 286-2176.

Fresh the Movie: Upcoming Viewing!

2010-08-31T14:19:00.000-04:00

Have you seen "Food, Inc."?

Did you walk out of the theater feeling bummed? Yeah, me too, kind of. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the film and I do think everyone should see it -- the message is certainly powerful -- but it wasn't an altogether hopeful film.

"Fresh" has often been called the antidote to "Food, Inc." While the latter focuses on the overwhelming power of and problems with industrial agriculture, "Fresh" is gentler, folksier, and brings with it the solutions and ideas for positive change.

It features the regular cast of characters you're used to hearing from (Joel Salatin, Michael Pollan) and some you aren't. Off topic: how strange is it that all the characters are male, while all the film makers are female?

"Fresh" hasn't seen a wide theater release in these parts, but you now have a chance to see it for yourself. On Thursday, September 9th, the UVA Food Collaborative and Hereford Residential College will host a viewing of "Fresh" at 7pm at Clark Hall. Admission is free (!), and the film will be followed by a panel discussion featuring community members involved in our local food movement. More details here. Hope to see you there!

Hey, We've Got Merch!

2010-08-26T15:43:00.001-04:00

If it seems like months ago since we did our t-shirt design contest, well, that's because it was. But now we're excited to finally share with you the finished product! Our new "food grown close to home" shirts are printed on organic cotton (women's and kid's shirts are American Apparel and men's are Anvil Organic) and are super comfy. They feature the winning design and our slogan on the front, with our logo and website on the back. The best part is, they only cost $12 for adults and $10 for kids and 100% of the purchase price for the shirts goes to Local Food Hub! One note: sizing runs a little small, especially for the ladies. Buy a shirt here.

Special thanks to Pete Hanson for his rockin' design!

We're also excited to show you these new tumblers!

Made of BPA-free hard plastic, these cups come with a reusable straw, and are insulated to keep your beverages hot or cold. These are so handy, we absolutely love them over here at the office. Perfect for car trips, class or work. Guaranteed to increase your water intake! Only $10, and 100% of the purchase price goes to Local Food Hub. Get more details here!

We've got other stuff for sale too — tote bags and jar grippers — so head over to our merchandise page to check them out. First person to send me a photo of themselves decked out in Local Food Hub gear wins something special.

Total (Egg) Recall and Some Scary Math

2010-08-25T10:47:00.003-04:00

It's been hard to avoid the recent news about the massive and on-going recall of salmonella-tainted eggs, which has now reached a grand total of more than half a billion (with possibly more to come). When you're immersed every day in the dealings of small, family farms, it's hard to comprehend how a food grown or raised in one place could spread so far and so wide (14 states (!), 1,300 people (!)). I thought it might be an interesting exercise to explore just how that kind of thing happens.

According to Food & Water Watch, half of the United States' egg production is concentrated in just five states: Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and California. In 1987, there were more than 2,500 producers that had operations larger than 75,000 hens. Today, that number has dropped to 205 — and these 205 produce 95% of the eggs Americans eat.

The USDA states that there are 338 million laying hens in the U.S. If 95% belong to just 205 producers, that means the average egg producer keeps 1.6 million hens. That's a lot of hens.

But, that's not even the full picture, because ten of the largest producers actually keep 40% of the nation's flock. Hillandale, one of the companies involved in the recall, has 14 million hens. DeCoster, the other, keeps 9 million.

Are these numbers creeping you out yet?

The argument for this kind of system often relies on the added benefits and efficiencies that come with large-scale production and consolidation. And sure, it does keep prices low, averaging about 10 cents an egg at Wal-Mart, for example. However, what is often overlooked is this: While this super-efficient distribution system excels at transporting millions of eggs from a few states to millions of consumers, they also move pathogens — like salmonella — just as efficiently.

When 205 producers are responsible for 95% of all the eggs eaten in the United States, all it takes is one instance of illness, infection, or willful negligence to risk the health and safety of millions of people.

This is where the argument for small farms, regional food systems and eating locally really hits you in the gut (no pun intended). Food that is produced with care, by people you know — for example, local eggs from producers where hens aren’t kept in conditions that could lead to the spreading of disease, like crowded cages and hen houses — means accountability, trust and safety. Not to mention better taste and variety, and the added benefit of supporting your local economy and community.

Paying a little bit more for piece of mind and healthy food — it's worth it.

For more info, check out this article by Tom Philpott at Grist.

Peachy Keen.

2010-08-23T15:06:00.000-04:00

Last week's peach gleaning operation, despite a rainy setback, was a big, sweet success. The owners of Tupelo Farm, a gorgeous spot tucked away in Free Union, complete with tranquil mountain views...

and 50 organically grown peach trees, invited Local Food Hub volunteers out to do some picking, with the resulting harvest being donated to local kids and community members. The morning was sunny with just the slightest crisp hint of fall, and we were greeted with coffee, juice, bagels and some gorgeous dew-covered spider webs.

The trees over in the orchard were heaving with lush, ripe peaches, and our volunteer crew went right to work. I guess motivation is easy to find when you're working for a good cause (and when you get to sample the goods as you work!).

In addition to some of our grown-up volunteers, we also had some of the smallest -- and most efficient -- peach pickers around. Seriously, while everyone else was taking a bagel and juice break, these two were non-stop. Pretty awesome stuff.

When all was said and done, after just three hours of work, we had picked more than 740 pounds of fresh, local, organic peaches. Impressive! And as we speak, these peaches are headed out to Clark and Jackson-Via Elementary Schools for back-to-school snacks, as well as a few other places in the Charlottesville area.

Thanks again to our fabulous volunteers and the owners of Tupelo Farm for lovely morning and for making a tasty commitment to healthy, local, fresh food for our kids. Bravo!

Postponed Peaches and a Rain Date

2010-08-18T15:15:00.000-04:00

First the bad news: Peach picking today was postponed due to rain.

Now the good news: we've rescheduled! We'll be at the orchard this Friday (8/20) from 8am until 11am (or until the peaches are gone!). We've got a good crew scheduled to join us but we'd love it if YOU came, too! Everything we pick will be donated to a good cause -- chosen by our volunteers!

Email emily (at) localfoodhub.org for directions and details.

Basil-Scented Thanks...

2010-08-13T10:00:00.001-04:00

Remember when we had a call for pesto-making volunteers? Well, we're sending big, basil-scented thank-yous to Jenn, Allie, Donna, Katherine and Justin today. This past Tuesday, these nimble-fingered volunteers helped sort 16 pounds of basil, and then worked together to make and freeze several batches of pesto.

But first, we held an informal tasting to decide whether almonds or walnuts yielded a better flavor. The results? Tossed with sliced cherry tomatoes and sprinkled with salt, consensus was that the batch made with almonds let the flavors of basil and Pecorino Romano shine through...but the real powerhouse was our locally-grown garlic. It's a force to be reckoned with!

Thanks again to the terrific volunteers -- if you're interested in volunteering at the warehouse or at the farm, email emily (at) localfoodhub.org.

image credit: futurowoman/Creative Commons

Help Us Get Peachy!

2010-08-11T15:01:00.000-04:00

Friends, we're back with another awesome volunteer opportunity.

The good folks at Tupelo Farm in Free Union want to donate all the peaches from their 50-tree, organically grown orchard to local kids so they can have healthy, fresh snacks. Local Food Hub is helping make this happen...

But there's a catch: we need help picking them!

Join us on Wednesday, August 18th for a morning of peach pickin' at Tupelo Farm, and help us get these delicious ripe peaches from farm to plate! Tupelo Farm will provide ladders, snacks, water, and of course the peaches! Volunteers will also help us choose where to send the peaches!

If you're interested in joining us, please email Emily for more info: emily (at) localfoodhub.org.

image credit: wanderingnome/Creative Commons

An Update on School Lunches and the Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization

2010-08-09T11:59:00.001-04:00

Here’s some news that might make you happier to send your kids to school every day. On August 5, 2010 the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry passed the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.” This legislation hopes to improve nutritional quality of meals in schools, promote health, and address childhood obesity. The passage of this act takes us one step closer to reauthorizing the current child nutrition legislation that is set to expire on September 30, 2010.

The move by the Senate committee follows an August 15 vote on the House side of Congress led by Congressman George Miller (D-CA). The House Education and Labor Committee passed similar bipartisan legislation, the “Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act,” to improve federal nutrition programs for children and their schools.

Both the Senate and House bills aim to help assist schools in meeting meal requirements proposed by the Institute of Medicine. The House bill specifically addresses increasing the reimbursement rate for lunch by 6 cents per meal -- the first real increase in over 30 years! Both pieces of legislation aim to increase total nutrition spending to about 4.5 billion over the next ten years.

Fresh, local food is a theme that runs through both bills. The House bill specifically hopes to connect more children to healthy produce from local farms by helping communities establish local farm to school networks, develop gardens and use more local foods in school cafeterias. Local Food Hub works to make that a reality every day by helping to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to local schools. In fact, we provide fresh, local food to 45 schools in the Charlottesville-Albemarle region!

With the time frame for the current legislation set to run out by September 30, 2010, Michelle Obama has made her opinion clear that this needs to get signed into law. “Right now, our country has a major opportunity to make our schools and our children healthier. It's an opportunity we haven't seen in years, and one that is too important to let pass by.” Michelle Obama urged both sides of Congress to move this piece of legislation to the floor to get it passed.

What’s next for child nutrition? Now that both bills have been passed out of their committees, it is time to take this legislation to the floor of Congress for a vote. If both the Senate and House can agree on one piece of legislation, the hope is that President Obama can have this signed into law before the old law expires in September.

If you believe this is important, make sure to call or write to your representatives in Congress to let them know what you think!

This post was researched and written by our summer intern, Tricia. Thanks, Tricia!

image credit: WBUR/Creative Commons

Sell That Produce!

2010-08-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, the Local Food Hub and the Boys & Girls Club joined forces to celebrate National Farmers Market Week. The farmers market was held in the Albemarle County Office Building, where many eager, fresh food lovers assembled to support local food.

The tables boasted eye-opening, mouth-watering spreads, with carrots piled high and a variety of luscious tomatoes and other delicious fruits and veggies, all from small farms within 60 miles of Charlottesville. Some customers even returned for another round of purchasing!

It was a great turnout, and we made the news. Check us out on NBC 29 and Newsplex!

Thanks to everyone who supported this event and the Albemarle County Office Building for hosting us. Stay tuned to see where we'll be next!

Mystery Photo of the Week

2010-08-04T09:21:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I walked into the barn and found something strange hanging in the middle of the air. The appearance was more pleasant than the smell. Any clue as to what this lump is?

Pesto, Pesto, Who's got the Pesto?

2010-07-30T15:25:00.001-04:00

Calling all chefs, home cooks, gardeners and other local foodies: we need your help!

We're looking for volunteers to help us do some food prep and processing at the warehouse! We'll be slicing and dicing up any and everything that's in season and in abundance, and using it for sampling, preserving and storage.

Pesto is first on the list -- other things to come. Melon balling, anyone?

We'd love to have your help, no matter your level of experience! Join us at the warehouse to help your local nonprofit and learn to make some tasty, seasonal foods. Plus, who knows, there might be some extras to take home, too!

Interested? Dates are as follows (all are Tuesdays):

August 3 | 12pm - 2pm
August 10 | 2pm - 4pm
August 17 | 12pm - 2 pm
August 24 | 2pm - 4pm

Email emily@localfoodhub.org to sign up and get more information!

image credit: stijn/Creative Commons

Clean Your Plate: Around the Web This Week

2010-07-23T11:31:00.002-04:00

You guys are so good! The mystery bug this week was indeed a wheel bug, a type of assassin beetle, with a wheel-shaped pronotal armor (I think it looks like a saw blade!). These guys prey upon insects such as caterpillars and Japanese beetles, piercing them with their beak to inject salivary fluids that dissolve soft tissue (ew!). Because most of their prey are pests, wheel bugs are considered beneficial insects, although they can inflict a painful bite if handled carelessly.

In other news, here's your weekend reading material. Stay cool!

A downside to farmer's market growth? An interesting article about local food access...
A Michigan teen farms her backyard. How awesome is this girl!?
No more "lip-service locavores" -- New York chefs are walking the walk.
Fascinating study that suggests why processed food might be more fattening than whole, even when calories are the same.
The Ethics of Eating: a nice NPR piece with Barbara Kingsolver. Definitely worth a listen.
Planning for next years garden, yet? How about growing sweet potatoes in a bag?
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though -- here's a handy online calculator for planting your FALL garden!

Enjoy the weekend, folks. And a reminder: follow us on Twitter to get the full scoop!

Mystery Photo of the Week

2010-07-22T09:31:00.004-04:00

Mystery bug on the farm office window! Who knows what it is?

Southwood Youth Photography Project: La Finca

2010-07-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

Mornings on the farm are generally fairytale fodder: sunlight dappled grass, the occasional rooster call, butterflies and bees flitting from blossom to blossom.

I say generally because on the morning of June 17th, the farm was anything but tranquil. As the bus rumbled up the driveway -- a cartoon like dust cloud trailing behind it -- the chickens seemed to brace for impact. The wheels ground to a halt, the doors burst open, and out tumbled half dozen rowdy kids, followed closely by the same number of local photographers, artists and volunteers, and armed with digital cameras, bottled water and an arsenal of turkey sandwiches.

This expedition was part of the Southwood Youth Photography Project, a joint effort between the Bridge/PAI and Albemarle County Schools, which brings students from the Southwood mobile home park together with adult mentors to learn basic photography skills and creative writing techniques.

In past years, the group has explored their own neighborhood, the Rivanna River, and downtown Charlottesville. This summer, Maple Hill Farm was to be their muse. Local photographer Billy Hunt, Bridge Executive Director, Greg Kelly, and local writer, John Casteen were among the group, heading up lessons and providing technical guidance.

For the better part of four hours, the kids and their mentors explored the farm through the lenses of their donated digital cameras. They climbed fences, chased chickens, and lunched beneath the shade of the barn. When the sun got high and energy levels dropped, poetry and writing lessons ensued. Just as the day devolved into Frisbee games and group photos, the bus (and its dust cloud) returned for pick up.

This fall, the prints from these budding young photographers will be displayed at the Bridge in a show called La Finca: The Farm, and a printed hardback book will be available for purchase. Stay tuned for details.

View a slideshow from the day here:

Happy Birthday to Us!

2010-07-09T12:07:00.000-04:00

This week was a big milestone for Local Food Hub, and although it passed without much fanfare thanks to a short week and a major heatwave sapping our energy, we are taking a moment this Friday to wish ourselves a HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY.

That's right: one year ago this week, we opened our warehouse doors for business. Remember this photo taken on opening day? Yep, we were really excited then — and we still are! A lot has changed in the past year, but our mission and our drive has only gotten stronger. We've grown our staff, expanded our educational programming, and refined our structure and our goals -- and we're proud to say that we have already made concrete steps in changing our area's local food system.

To everyone out there who has helped make our first year a success with your support — financial, in-kind and otherwise — THANK YOU. We have made it this far because of you, and we look forward to many years of serving our community.

To those of you who weren't sure about us in the beginning, we hope our proven track record of success will convince you! (P.S. You can still join our local food revolution — and now you can do it online.)

In celebration of our 365 days of existence (and our recently acquired 501(c)3 status!), we wanted to share with you some of the progress we've made.

Farm Services and Local Food Distribution

We are now working in partnership with more than 40 local farms within 60 miles of Charlottesville.
We distribute food to 45 public and private schools in Charlottesville and surrounding counties, and more than 40 other locations, including UVA Health Systems, Whole Foods, and a variety of local retailers, restaurants, and summer camps.
Everyday, we are reinvesting dollars into our local economy, supporting our local farms and businesses and helping to sustain and create jobs.

Educational Farm and Community Outreach

More than six acres of certified organic vegetables are under production at the Educational Farm at Maple Hill -- 25% of which are being donated to local hunger organizations.
Three full-time apprentices and three part-time high school interns have joined us at the farm to learn the ins and outs of sustainable, organic food production.
Food donations are rolling in from our Plant a Row for the Hungry program from more than 30 backyard gardeners in our area (you can still sign up!).
We have created partnerships with a wide range of community groups, at-risk youth organizations and individuals, to effect change in our local food system, fight obesity and hunger issues, and spread the word about healthy, fresh, local fruits and vegetables.

If you haven't renewed your gift to Local Food Hub this year, now's a great time to do so — without your support, we wouldn't be here!

We hope you'll all take a moment to celebrate this weekend with some delicious local food, whether it's peaches, summer squash, or maybe that first sun-ripened tomato. Thank you, Charlottesville, for a momentous, memorable first year -- and here's to many, many more!

Mystery Photo of the Week

2010-07-08T10:27:00.000-04:00

I was walking through the melon patch and found the leaves had been sprayed with something that turned them white and spotty. Any guesses as to what substance might have been used? Hint: Think organic.

Mystery Photo Revealed!

2010-07-02T13:31:00.000-04:00

This week's mystery photo depicted a strange, colorful piece of farm machinery... which turns out to be a potato washer! Nice work, Sharon and Lizzy! Interested in seeing this thing in action? Check out our video:

Have a great holiday weekend!

A Visit to Singing Earth Farm

2010-07-01T14:58:00.001-04:00

Singing Earth Farm is perched just off of Hermitage Road in Waynesboro, Virginia, a faded sign beckoning visitors with promises of flowers and fresh produce. But the humble entrance, a ramshackle, country assortment of greenhouses and pickup trucks, belies a far more serious farming operation just inside the property.

Owned by father and son, Adolfo and Jose Calixto, Singing Earth Farm covers six, lush acres with vegetable production. The hills appear outfitted in stripes of green – tomatoes, peppers, kale, beans, cucumbers, melons, and squash. Rows of cabbage reflect an eerie, neon purple glow, and a field covered in traditional Mexican herbs ripples in the wind, perfuming the air with a heady, green scent, all citrus and cilantro.

With only six people managing Singing Earth Farm, it’s hard to comprehend the level of efficiency that must be at work here. For more than seven years, farming has been their way of life and what keeps their young family afloat, so productivity is not a choice but a requirement. Yet Jose and his father are relaxed, modest and kind, speaking of their work matter of factly, and smiling when I wonder aloud if they employ some kind of time machine to get everything done.

As we walk the fields, Jose’s little girl trails behind us, plucking ripened cherry tomatoes from the vine with her tiny fingers and handing them to us to sample. They are sweet, warm and delicious – the perfect symbol of a fruitful summer to come.

For more photos from Singing Earth Farm, check out this slideshow.

Attention Gardeners: Upcoming Educational Workshop!

2010-06-30T11:03:00.000-04:00

Having problems with out-of-control weeds, tomatoes touching the ground, cucumbers that won't grow straight, or beans that are meandering along the fields?

We've got answers! Join us for:

MID SEASON FARM MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP!

Find out how to get the most out of your garden this year! Topics will include stringing, pruning, trellising, small tools and picking. Class will be led by Anthony Flaccavento (with Brian Moss for demonstrations).

When: Thursday, July 8, 4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Where: Maple Hill Farm, 7129 Scottsville Rd, Scottsville, VA
How: Free for partner producers, $35 for general public

Please RSVP by Monday, July 5th to Marisa@localfoodhub.org.

Send any specific questions or problems beforehand so we can be sure to answer them!

We hope to see you there!

Mystery Photo of the Week

2010-06-29T11:09:00.000-04:00

As I was walking through the farm I came across an interesting machine. Can you guess what serviceable equipment this might come from?

Whole Foods Plays on the Farm

2010-06-28T11:54:00.002-04:00

Last week, despite the blistering heat and 4 billion percent humidity, the customer service team from Whole Foods Charlottesville joined us at Maple Hill farm for some service hours. With sunscreen slathered faces and a cooler full of water bottles, they came ready to get hot, dirty and down to business. In the span of just a few hours, their team accomplished what would have taken us days. Hats off to the Whole Foods team for a great day and some hard core physical work -- we're grateful for your support and hope you decide to join us again!

Here are a few shots from last week, courtesy of our communications intern, Stevie:

Thanks again, Whole Foods!

Meet the Interns

2010-06-24T13:47:00.000-04:00

This summer, Local Food Hub is excited to welcome four amazing interns from Charlottesville High School. Three students, Erin Smith, Stevie Garcia, and Samanthia Stover, will be working at our Educational Farm at Maple Hill, and one student, Maurice Jackson, will be working at the warehouse. Through these internships, a partnership with the Charlottesville High School WALK program, these students will gain hands-on farm and office training, and real-world work experience.

We are so happy to have them here this summer, and hope they come away from this experience with an appreciation for farming and agriculture, plenty of non-profit experience and resume building skills, and of course, a taste for freshly-picked, healthy local food.

You'll be seeing a lot of our interns on the blog in coming weeks, but one name you should know right off the bat is Stevie. A organizational maven and a seriously awesome photographer, Stevie will be working alongside our team as a communications intern, documenting her time here in photos and words. Below is her first entry, introducing herself and her fellow interns here at the farm....

Erin Smith, a seventeen year old senior, says the opportunity to be outside a lot is what attracted him to the Local Food Hub internship. “I like the veggies and not having to deal with customers. Also, working at my own pace.” When he’s not working he likes to “just chill.” After he graduates from Charlottesville High he plans on attending PVCC.

“The intervention specialist at my school said I needed to keep busy and that this internship would be good for me,” says Stevie Garcia, 17. She likes working at the farm because it’s, “peaceful and beautiful. Everyone here seems very down to earth.” After high school, Stevie intends to attend an art school to study photography and film making. One of her jobs on the farm is to take photos of different events or visitors.

Samanthia Stover, 17, says she found out about the internship when she overheard her teachers, Mrs. Poe and Mrs. Browning talking about a job interview. “I spoke up and asked if I could do an interview.” Samanthia enjoys the peaceful and quiet setting that comes with working on the farm. She also adds, “the people are nice and it’s fun.” Out of work, her hobbies include being on a computer, texting, hanging out with friends, and swimming. Samanthia wants to go to college in the hopes of becoming a registered nurse.

Plant a Row Profile: Jessie & Dave Kostelnik

2010-06-15T10:30:00.002-04:00

As part of our Plant a Row for the Hungry program (get more info here!), we're featuring some of our participating backyard gardeners on the blog. These kind folks have committed to donating extra produce from their home gardens this spring and summer to local food banks and soup kitchens.

We're excited to have Jessie and Dave Kostelnik as one of our first donations this year: 15 pounds of delicious, beautiful homegrown beets, ready to head out the Haven this week. Dave, who works at Feast!, and Jessie, who just finished her PhD in clinical psychology at UVA, moved to Charlottesville from Manhattan seven years ago, and have been trying to pass themselves off as southerners ever since. "In our quest to become more southern we have tried (and failed) at playing the banjo, but we did name our dog Fiddle so perhaps that counts for something in the grand scheme of things?"

We give them an A for effort, plus Fiddle is pretty cute.

LFH: Tell us a little bit about your garden! How big is it? What's growing?

J&D: The garden is about 15’ x 20’. That might not seem big to anyone else, but it's huge to us. We've got mixed greens, rainbow carrots, beets, peas, fingerling potatoes, blue lake green beans and haricots verts, a few varieties of heirloom tomatoes and a bunch of herbs. Plus we were surprised when last year's nasturtium came back (uninvited), and a random cucumber plant showed up (also uninvited - to my knowledge we've never planted cucumber). We recently planted a strawberry patch, some blueberry bushes, and a fig tree (do partridges like fig trees or only pear?). Glad you asked -- always game for bragging about what we're growing.

LFH: How did you learn to garden? Trial and error? Books? Websites?
J&D: I think it's safe to say that we fall into the "trial and error" category here. Our first error several years ago was thinking that bigger zucchini = better ... We let ours get HUGE and then made a big show of photographing them while neighbors tried not to laugh in our faces. So if you ever want to know how to grow massive zucchini that are barely edible let us know. We’ll hook you up.

LFH: Best part about gardening? Worst?
J&D: Hard to pick among the fun of checking every morning to see how things have changed, the mind-clearing effects of weeding, the guilt-free tan, and the raw satisfaction. But, I'd say my favorite gardening activity is watering the tomatoes, or weeding them just after they've been watered - love the smell they give off! The worst: watching stuff that you fail to harvest and use go bad. We’re glad the Hub accepts donations and has started this program!

LFH: And finally -- favorite way to prepare something from the garden?
Jessie: Mixed greens with aromatic sea salt and Greek olive oil from Feast!.
Dave: Roasted beet salad with walnuts and Caromont goat cheese or haricots verts with herb butter.

Yum! Thanks for playing, guys!

Coming Soon: On the Farm Day

2010-06-14T15:57:00.000-04:00

If you're well versed in the farming community in Virginia, then the acronym VICFA is probably a familiar one. The Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association is a coalition of consumers, farmers and citizens fighting for food rights, small farms and food freedom. They are working hard to promote and preserve unregulated direct farmer to consumer trade and increase the availability of locally grown and produced food products.

To that end, the kind folks at VICFA have organized On the Farm Day on Sunday, June 20. They've lined up tours at some of the best farms across Virginia, to bridge the farmer-citizen gap and help people learn what it takes to grow, produce and make delicious local food.

Local Food Hub is excited to be participating and representing Albemarle County! We are offering free tours to all interested community members at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. If you're interested in joining a tour, please RSVP to emily [at] localfoodhub.org.

We'll be showcasing our work at Maple Hill, a 75-acre certified organic farm in Scottsville. Check out what we're growing, what kind of organic methods we're using, ask questions and even buy some farm fresh produce and eggs.

Hope to see you on the farm!

The Week of the Tomato

2010-06-14T12:27:00.001-04:00

Well folks, the time has come. Those sweet little tomato seedlings -- the ones we've nurtured from seed since March in our greenhouse, the ones we lovingly transplanted into a sea of black plastic and straw mulch -- those cute little things have gone wild.

No, seriously.

Don't believe me? See Exhibit A:

Ack! These guys are huge and growing faster by the day. We're in the thick of pruning and caging and trellising -- and we could really use some extra hands.

So, consider this a call for help, crop mob-style. Can you join us one morning this week to help wrestle more than 2,500 tomato plants into submission? What seems daunting now could easily be knocked out by a big group in just a few hours.

And, while we can't promise you'll stay clean, we can promise camaraderie, gratitude, that refreshing tomato plant-smell, and a possible sighting of the charming little indigo bunting that's been flirting with us all week.

We have some set hours listed below, but if those don't work, we'll take you any morning this week. Just email before you come. We hope to see you on the farm!

When:
Wednesday, June 16, 8am - 11am
Saturday, June 19, 8am - 11am

Where:
Maple Hill Farm, Scottsville, VA

RSVP:
emily [at] localfoodhub.org

This Must Be the Place...

2010-06-10T11:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a busy day! It started bright and early with our Wednesday morning volunteer hours. We had some great people helping out and weeding the heck out of the carrot patch. It looks great now and the carrots are green and healthy and growing fast.

Next, Local Food Hub welcomed a fantastic group of national writers and reporters, as well as some representatives from Virginia's Agricultural Department, to a local food breakfast at Maple Hill Farm. These guys and gals were exploring Central Virginia's local food movement and had tons of appointments and stops throughout the day. But everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal -- that's why we had Lisa Reeder of A Local Notion whipping up some tasty bites with contributions from Albemarle Baking Company, Caromont Farm, Jam According to Daniel, Shenandoah Joe, and of course tons of local produce from Local Food Hub's partner producers. Libations were on hand from Jefferson Vineyards and Starr Hill Brewery. No, it's never too early for a little taste.

And finally, we had NBC 29 News in the house! Turns out good news travels fast, and they were covering a story about the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation's latest round of grants, which includes $57,000 to Local Food Hub! The money will fund our Local and Fresh for the Hungry program -- more about that tomorrow! We are over the moon and excited to get started.

Overall, an inspiring and exciting day to be involved in the local food movement. I continue to be amazed at the people in our area doing great things -- growing vegetables, making cheese, brewing beer, supporting farmers, spreading the word -- and how genuine, nice and friendly they are. If you're not involved, now is the time to do something about it! Local Food Hub has tons of ways you can become more active -- just send us an email! info [at] localfoodhub.org

Mystery Photo of the Week

2010-06-08T15:46:00.000-04:00

I encountered this curious, furry specimen while at our warehouse the other day -- never seen anything like it. Any guesses on what it might be?!

Tonight Tonight Tonight!

2010-06-04T11:41:00.000-04:00

Come see us tonight at Charlottesville Whole Foods from 5-7pm!

For a $5 donation to Local Food Hub, you'll get free wine and cheese tastings throughout the store. Plus, first 25 visitors to our table get a free packet of organically grown herbs from our farm! Perfect for your weekend grilling!

See you tonight!

See You at Whole Foods!

2010-06-01T13:00:00.000-04:00

Summertime in Charlottesville means there's no shortage of things to do on a Friday night, but we've got an idea that you might want to try. Starting this Friday, June 4, and continuing on every Friday throughout the month, join us at the Charlottesville Whole Foods from 5-7pm for $5@5! For a $5 donation (which goes directly to Local Food Hub) you'll get to sample free food and wine throughout the store. And, you'll be supporting your local non-profit organization, too!

While we love the opportunity to meet more people and spread the word, this program is also a great (and important!) way for all of us to show big businesses in our community that local food matters. Speak with your dollars (and fill out a comment card...or two), and show these stores that you support small farms and that you are paying attention! Don't be afraid to ask questions about where your food comes from -- you deserve to know.

When you buy Local Food Hub produce, you can be sure that the food is grown by small, family farmers within 60 miles of Charlottesville. If that's not local, then I don't know what is!

So don't forget to join us on a Friday in June, and keep your eyes peeled for our fruits and veggies, soon to come on the shelves of Whole Foods!

An Answer and an Educational Opportunity

2010-05-25T11:19:00.000-04:00

A quick apology if yesterday's mystery photo grossed you out. It's true -- Colorado potato beetle larvae are pretty darned icky. But nice work, Leif and Malena. You know your pests!

Those larvae eventually turn into a full-blown beetle that looks something like the above -- or like this. These pests are a serious threat: female beetles can lay up to 800 eggs, and both the larvae and the adult beetle feed on the foliage of potato plants, possibly eliminating the entire crop. There are certain insecticides you can use -- both conventional and organic -- but out here on the farm, we've found the best way to combat the beetles is manually removing them and dunking them in soapy water. It's time consuming, but luckily we have a lot of willing volunteers with nimble fingers.

Speaking of pest management, Local Food Hub is hosting a workshop on June 10th that can teach you the ins and outs of integrated pest management. From beetles and moths to pesky weeds, instructors Anthony Flaccavento and Peter Warren (VA Cooperative Extension) will help you manage these pests throughout the season, helping to increase your yield. Both conventional and organic methods will be discussed.

Interested? Email Marisa for more information (marisa [at] localfoodhub.org) and pricing schedule. If you have specific questions or pests you'd like to talk about, please email us ahead of time so we can make sure to have an answer for you!

Hope you'll consider attending!

Mystery Photo of the Day...

2010-05-24T10:26:00.001-04:00

Ok, for any of you out there familiar with garden pests, this is probably an easy one...but guess away!

Grilling in Season

2010-05-21T13:01:00.001-04:00

The rain earlier this week was rough. My farm uniform quickly became knee-high rubber boots, a raincoat, and a slick layer of red mud, and I'm pretty sure the floorboard of my car now boasts enough dirt to start its own mobile garden. Suffice it to say that the sunshine yesterday and today has been very, very welcome -- not just for me but also all the veggies working hard out in the field.

If you're also feeling grateful for the reprieve and thinking about firing up the charcoal tonight or later this weekend (what better way to celebrate), I think you might enjoy this post about grilling in season which has some great suggestions and easy recipes, and really got me hungry. While it's true that summer veggies on the grill are classic (corn on the cob? eggplant? peppers? yes please.), spring has a thrill all its own. You know what I'm talking about -- after a long, cold winter of mealy, wilted produce, there's really nothing like the first bite of local, fresh from the farm vegetables -- especially when they are hot off the grill.

Out here at the farm, we're harvesting stalks of bright green asparagus, tender baby squash, crunchy bok choy, crispy kale, spring onions -- all of which would be magnificent grilled: sweet, delicate and fresh.

Do you have any suggestions or favorite spring veggies on the grill?

Ground Breaking

2010-05-19T13:29:00.001-04:00

We're always talking about the big changes that need to happen in high up places in order to get better food into our schools, but one of my favorite things is when folks take matters into their own hands.

Enthusiasm for schoolyard gardens has been picking up across the country, and it makes sense -- what better way to illustrate the connection between farms and food to our kids than to have them participate directly in the process?

I'm also happy to report that our little city is in on the game, too. Local Food Hub is excited to see these gems popping up everywhere and amazed at the enthusiasm and creativity behind them. Here are two that we are happy to be supporting:

Buford School Yard Garden: We're proud to say that we knew the Buford Garden back when it was just a glimmer of an idea in Linda Winecoff's eyes -- and my how it's grown! They've got fences going up and seedlings being donated -- Local Food Hub donated a flat of organic tomatoes, onions, peppers and squash back in March -- and a Buford Garden Club to keep things moving. This summer, the Boys & Girls Club will help keep the garden in tip-top shape. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Peabody School: The Peabody School also broke ground this spring, thanks to parent and garden enthusiast, Charity Donnelly. The garden had fallen into disuse over the years, but after she heard about our Plant a Row program, Charity decided it was time to brush off the garden tools and get it running again. The kids helped clean it up over the past month, we donated a flat of seedlings to get them started, and NBC 29 News even came out to capture it all on film. All of the produce grown in the garden this year will be donated to the hungry through our campaign. What a great idea, if we do say so ourselves!

We also know that Cale Elementary has embarked upon an ambitious garden this year. We love this stuff! Do you know about other school gardens in our area? Share them with us!

image credit: jimforest/Creative Commons

Making the Case for Local...

2010-05-18T12:13:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I come to work in the morning and have no idea what I'm doing.

Ok, ok, so that's a bit of an exaggeration -- but lately I'm finding more and more that the parameters surrounding local foods are getting a little fuzzy. With no clear or standardized definition, no one agency to oversee or control it, the world of "local" is a nebulous one, marked as much by emotion and opinion as by science, rules and mileages.

I'm not saying this flexibility is necessarily a bad thing, but it has allowed "local" to be co-opted by nearly everyone, each tweaking the word just enough to fit within their means. Even Hellmann's Mayonnaise is in on it. But I digress (and plus, I'll have more on that later).

The New Oxford American Dictionary, which honored "locavore" as its word of the year in 2007, is equally as non-committal, defining the term as "a person who seeks out locally produced food." Of course, that begs the question, what does "locally produced food" mean? Seriously folks, it's like going after a moving target for 40 hours a week.

And, even though we at Local Food Hub have our own ideas and guidelines about what we consider local, the world does not always follow our rules, no matter how much we insist. :)

So what's a girl to do? Well, in this case, I'm asking you. If you're reading this, it means you probably have some interest in "local" food, farming, agriculture (or you just Googled "asparagus berry"). I'm interested in what you have to say.

Here's what I'd like to know:

How do you define "local?" Is it a 60-mile radius from your home? 1000-mile? State-wide? Region-wide? Does it vary depending on the product?
How strict are you? Do you abstain from tomatoes in winter, skip citrus and olives and coffee always, or do you make exceptions for certain things?
If you do pay attention to what's local, why? Carbon footprint? Economic impact? Community support? Food safety? Something else?

Feel free to leave a comment here, on Facebook, or Twitter, or send me an email: emily [at] localfoodhub.org. I'll chime in later with Local Food Hub's thoughts (and maybe highlight some of yours, too). Looking forward to hearing what you have to say!

School Food for Thought

2010-04-27T15:21:00.000-04:00

It’s Tuesday which means Nathan has been out all morning making deliveries in the Local Food Hub truck: today, it’s box after box of delicious local apples going to school after school after school. In fact, we now provide food to forty-five schools in the Charlottesville-Albemarle region.

That’s right. Despite the challenges we face when it comes to school lunch programs – I mean, have you seen Jaime Oliver’s Food Revolution?? -- kids in our area are getting at least some fresh, local food at school. The purchase of this food is mostly funded by the USDA’s Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program, which provides healthy snacks during school. We think fruits and veggies make great snacks, and we’re excited to see so many schools making a commitment to healthy food and completing the farm to school connection.

But, we want to see more. Local Food Hub thinks kids deserve fresh fruit and vegetables in their meals, too, not just at snack time. There are plenty of obstacles – ill-equipped kitchens, lack of money, lack of training, nutty nutritional guidelines, to name a few – but there are also plenty of ways we can work together to start fixing this situation. Here are a few:

Support the Local Food Hub. As a nonprofit, we rely on your support to keep our programs running. Our distribution service makes it easy for schools to access a wide range of fresh food grown right here in our community, just by calling a single phone number. Ordering is easy and efficient, and we deliver in our refrigerated truck, a requirement by the school system.

We also understand the tight budgets that schools must work within and we do our best to provide as much nutritious food as within those constraints, while still securing fair prices for our farmers. It can be done! We’ve even worked with some public schools to secure grants and other funding to increase fresh fruit and vegetable purchases.
Learn more about the Child Nutrition Act (CNA), and consider taking action. I found this Q&A useful and interesting. CNA is a federal law that governs the school meal programs, which feed more than 31 million children every school day. Right now, school lunch programs have about $1 per meal to pay for food. Schools do their best to stretch that dollar, but it's simply not enough to provide kids with the food they need to stay healthy and to perform well in the classroom.

Luckily, this bill is up for reauthorization this year, so there’s still a chance for your voice to be heard. Send a letter to your elected official and let them know how you feel. Get involved!
Spread the word. Think healthy school lunches are important? Believe in our local economy and farm-to-school connections? Tell your friends and family. Write a post on your blog or Facebook profile. These third graders staged a letter writing campaign. These Charlottesville ladies started the C'ville School Food Initiative.

There are so many ways to be a part of this -- do you have other ideas?

image credit: bookgrl/Creative Commons

Volunteer Update!

2010-04-26T16:16:00.000-04:00

In case you missed our note on Facebook (what? you're not a fan on Facebook?!), we wanted to share an update on our open volunteer hours at Maple Hill:

EVERY Wednesday and every FIRST and THIRD Saturday, from 8am – 11am, please join us at Maple Hill Farm to lend a hand. Yes, that means this Wednesday, the 28th, and this Saturday, the 1st!

We always have a wide range of fun things we need help with, including transplanting, weeding, composting, mulching and harvesting, so plan to get dirty and learn a few things while you’re at it.

Please feel free to come anytime in between those hours — and be sure to pick up some fresh eggs, honey, and other produce AFTER your shift (cash and checks only).

Just remember to let us know you’re coming so we can expect you: emily@localfoodhub.org

Thanks – hope to see you at the farm!

Local Food Hub is Hiring!

2010-04-21T10:42:00.000-04:00

If you're interested in getting more involved in our local food system and you're looking for a part-time job, this may be a good opportunity for you! Local Food Hub is hiring two seasonal, part-time employees for our warehouse in Ivy:

Delivery Driver: Deliver fresh, local farm produce to area schools, grocery stores and restaurants. Job runs May 1st - November 1st, 2010. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 8:00 am - 2:00 pm. May be more hours as needed. Clean driving record required. Send employment history and cover letter to nathan@localfoodhub.org. No calls or visits please. For more information, see our listing.

Warehouse Assistant: Help check-in, weigh, label and pack produce straight from the farm. Pack out orders to schools, markets, grocery stores and restaurants. Help keep warehouse clean and up to code. Job runs May 1st - November 1st, 2010. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm. Send employment history, experience and cover letter to nathan@localfoodhub.org. No calls or visits, please. For more information, see our listing.

Many Hands...

2010-04-20T15:42:00.000-04:00

They say many hands make light work. On a farm, I'm not sure how true that is -- the work is never light, and there's always more of it -- but if this weekend was any indication, many hands do make BIG progress.

Saturday marked the launch of our volunteer program here at Maple Hill. The kick-off event started with a few staggered farm tours -- the chickens were mandatory (of course), as was the greenhouse, packing room and tractor shed. It culminated in a group of 35 awesome volunteers descending on the fields, planting potatoes, squash and onions, pulling weeds from the asparagus fields, and wrestling row cover.

When all was said and done, our volunteers accomplished at least a week's worth of work in two measly hours -- and had the sunkissed cheeks and dirty hands to prove it.

A few statistics from Saturday's event:

200 pounds of seed potatoes planted (1,200 row feet)
360 row feet of squash planted, mulched and covered
1,000 row feet of onions planted
a decent chunk of the asparagus beds are now weed-free (at least for a few days)

Impressive, no?!

We are endlessly grateful to this dedicated group, including community members, families, and UVA students from Cavs Care and the UVA Community Garden. THANK YOU!

And finally, don't forget -- our regular volunteer hours are now in effect:

Every first and third Saturday, from 8:00am - 11:00am
Every Wednesday, from 8:00am - 11:00am.

Join us! Please RSVP to emily@localfoodhub.org. Hope to see you on Wednesday!

Mystery Photo Revealed!

2010-04-09T12:31:00.000-04:00

Ok. Apparently I need to make these harder, because a bunch of you got this one! Rusty tomato cages is correct!! Nice work Jen, Jessica and maybe Stephanie here on the blog, and Matthew over on Facebook.

We've got a ton of these things around the farm, and yes, untangling them will be an ugly mess. But we're also trying something new for our tomatoes this year: the Florida weave. One of the main goals of our Educational Farm is to try out new techniques that may be easier, more effective or produce better product than the usual methods -- and then share that information with our growers and our community.

Many experts report that using the Florida weave technique -- once you get the hang of it -- is the best and most efficient way to deal with large, indeterminate tomato plants, producing better fruit and keeping the plants up off the ground. Not to mention, it's supposed to makes harvesting a lot easier.

I guess we'll find out, considering we have more than a thousand baby tomato plants just hanging out in the greenhouse waiting for frost-free weather! Stay tuned for more reports!

Upcoming Events and Workshops

2010-04-08T13:31:00.000-04:00

All this gorgeous weather makes me want to spend every moment of it outdoors, soaking up the sunshine and getting dirty. In case you're the same way, here are a few upcoming events and workshops you might want to check out (you can always find more on our website). If you have an event coming up, let us know! We're happy to list it.

Local Food Hub Workshop | April 12: Learn the basics of farm planning and management from Anthony Flaccavento and Steve and Adrianna Vargo, including succession planting, crop rotation, cover crops and soil testing. This class is the first in a series of workshops designed to improve efficiency, yield, and overall profitability of small farms. Get the details on our website.

Family Fitness Fair | April 25: Organized by the Charlottesville Day School, this is a day of foot races for toddlers, big kids, and adults plus live music, picnicking, biking, games of catch, and more. This event is guaranteed to get you fit -- and wear your kids out! RSVP on Facebook!

And don't forget our volunteer kickoff event!

image credit: © OliverAlex/Creative Commons

Mystery Photo of the Day...

2010-04-08T10:40:00.001-04:00

Ok, folks. Here it is: Your mystery photo from the farm this week. Any guesses?

A hint: "rusty metal" is not what we're looking for. :)

Leave a comment here or over on Facebook! We'll announce the answer tomorrow!

Volunteer Kick-off: Come See the Farm!

2010-04-06T11:45:00.000-04:00

Friends,

I know that many of you have been itching to see the new farm, get your hands dirty, and learn some farming skills. Well, listen up, because now's your chance!

Join us for a kick-off volunteer event on Saturday, April 17 from 10:00am – 12:30pm at our Educational Farm.

Get a tour of the Maple Hill operation, find out what the Local Food Hub is up to, and get dirty! We’ll be planting 2,000 feet of potatoes and (possibly) building hoop houses for our early spring crops. We need extra hands!

RSVPs are required! It's important that we know how many folks to expect. Upon your response, I'll send you directions, guidelines and other need-to-know information. You can contact me at emily@localfoodhub.org.

We look forward to seeing you!

image credit: Grass-Naps/Creative Commons

Laying an Egg for the Hungry?

2010-03-29T11:31:00.000-04:00

We've been talking up our Plant a Row campaign for a while now, and we're thrilled to report that we've got more than 25 gardeners in Charlottesville participating. Of course, it's still March and as the cool weather today is reminding us, still early spring (though rumor has it we could see 85 degrees by Friday!). Suffice it to say we're not exactly expecting donations to pile up anytime soon...

Of course, that was before some the members of CLUCK (Charlottesville League of Urban Chicken Keepers) got involved! Thanks to some creative thinking outside the box....errr....coop last week, four members of CLUCK donated 13.5 dozen eggs to the Haven at First and Market.

Not only is this awesome and amazing and a big deal, it's also the first official Plant a Row for the Hungry donation this year -- yep, even though it's not fruits or veggies, we're still counting it! The sentiment and the effort and the care behind it are the same, and we like to see folks being creative, thinking big, and staying open-minded! Any bets on what's next?!

P.S. You can still join the Plant a Row effort!

image credit: Guinevere Higgins

Mystery Photo Revealed!

2010-03-26T15:24:00.001-04:00

Well, how about that. Turns out people know their fungi! A few sharp-eyed readers over on Facebook guessed correctly: the mystery photo this week is a mushroom-inoculated log! A shitake mushroom log, to be exact! Our resident mushroom-expert and farm apprentice, Brian, is working on getting a shed-full of mushroom logs up and sprouting -- see more pictures here. And check back, because we expect to see some fungi-action soon! Thanks for playing!

Clean Your Plate: Around the Web This Week (and a few weeks past...)

2010-03-26T09:00:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since we've done a weekly round-up, but we're back on track. Here's some interesting stuff we've seen around the web lately. If we missed something, let us know!

Meet me at the food court! Now here's an elegant solution to all that empty real estate left fallow by the recession. I can think of a few places in C'ville that could benefit from this!
Or better yet, how about turning an unused freeway into a farm?
Jamie Oliver's new Food Revolution show premiers tonight. Anyone watching? Thoughts? Ethicurian thinks it's "contentious and hopeful".
Michelle Obama to grocery stores: "Step it up!"
Got milk, Virginia? Maybe not for long. The state of the dairy industry across the board: not so good.
Ten inspiring people in the sustainable food industry. Ummm..where all the ladies at?!
And finally... are you planting a garden this year? Want to donate some of your harvest to a good cause? Check out our Plant a Row campaign!

image credit: dixieroadrash/Creative Commons

Healthy and Hunger-Free

2010-03-25T13:03:00.000-04:00

Here's some news for policy wonks and school lunch advocates alike.

Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Agriculture unanimously approved Senator Blanche Lincoln’s Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The next step is for this bill to be marked up, read, and voted on by the entire Senate.

At this moment, when nearly one of every three American children is overweight or obese, this is definitely a step toward helping our children eat better and live longer, healthier lives. But, there's a lot of chatter over whether the bill goes far enough. First, let's look at some of the things the bill does include:

Establishing national nutrition standards for all foods sold on the school campus -- including those in vending machines;
Expanding food access to more children and reducing administrative burdens on schools;
Strengthening school wellness programs to have explicit goals and public accountability; and
Increasing reimbursement for meals to schools for the first time since 1973.

However, many folks, including Ag. Secretary Tom Vilsack, believe that it doesn't go far enough, and that a more robust bill that supports the President's $10 billion budget request should be passed. Currently Lincoln's bill is only about half that -- $4.5 million.

Which may still seem like a lot...until you do the math. The proposed funding increase is merely $0.06 per meal. Six cents! There's no way around it -- that's simply not enough. Schools are already losing an estimated $0.35 per meal (according to the School Nutrition Association), and fresh, healthy food just costs more than processed, frozen mystery nuggets.

The Local Food Hub works to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to area schools -- whether through the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program or Farm to School week -- but we know firsthand that every school district struggles to make ends meet.

If we want improved school nutrition, we are going to have to devote some real resources to it: increased spending on food, skilled food service personnel and good nutritional programming. What do you think?

image credit: back garage/Creative Commons

Mystery Photo of the Day...

2010-03-24T15:05:00.000-04:00

Ok folks, back with another mystery photo from the farm! Lots of good guesses over on Facebook last time, but no one was right on the money. So how about today -- any guesses? Click the photo for a larger image...

signs of spring: photos

2010-03-22T12:46:00.000-04:00

asparagus is sprouting (please believe me when i say this is best viewed large):

tractors are plowing, just in time for rain:

seedlings are growing:

yes...things are looking good.

Plant a Row for the Hungry: Details Emerge!

2010-03-19T14:07:00.002-04:00

Have you heard about our Plant a Row Campaign?

Well, if you're growing a garden (backyard, container, windowsill, whatever!) and you live in the Charlottesville-area, then you should sign up (and spread the word)! We've already got more than 20 local gardeners on board, but we want more. Read on for lots more details!

The idea is really quite simple: when you’re planting your garden this year, add an extra row (or even just a plant!) to your garden and donate the fruits of your labor to those who are in need.

Then, drop the food off at the Local Food Hub warehouse as you harvest: we'll do the collection, coordination and distribution. We already make a weekly delivery to food banks in our area -- so by combining the donations, we hope to streamline and simplify the process for everyone. Of course, you’re free to take the food to any of the local food banks yourself, too! We only ask that you let us know how much you donate so we can keep track.

Just to clarify: this is all strictly donation – you donate the food to us, and we donate and deliver it all to area food banks -- and keep tabs on how much the PAR campaign brings in.

If you're interested in joining the campaign, please email me at emily@localfoodhub.org. We'd love to have you on board!

LOGISTICS:
Donation hours are Monday – Thursday, 8:00am – 1:00pm. Please do your best to stick with them but if they absolutely do not work, let me know and we can try to work something out. Our warehouse is located at 556 Dettor Road (the back, left-hand side of the building) in Ivy, Virginia.

Please pack your food carefully, in cardboard boxes or other containers that you do not need to have returned.

Upon drop off, we will provide you with a “donation receipt” similar to what you get when you donate to the Salvation Army. Please save this in-kind receipt for your tax purposes.

COMMUNICATION:
I want to know how things are going throughout the season! I would love to see pictures, email updates, “journal entries,” etc. The more personal of a connection we can make to our food, the better! I’d love to know what you’re thinking while you’re working in the garden, how your kids are participating, what you’re learning, and I’d love to see photos!! If anyone is interested in doing some guest blog posts, too, (or you post about it on your own blog), let me know!
CROP AND HARVEST SUGGESTIONS:
There are no strict guidelines as to what you should or should not grow, so this should be your chance to plant and tend what you enjoy! However, we do ask that you refrain from donating leafy vegetables if possible: lettuces, spinach, kale and the like tend to wilt quickly and may not last long enough to make it to the food banks and into the hands of those who need it. The best vegetables are things that can keep for at least a week: potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini and squash, cucumbers, etc. It also helps if you can pick your vegetables JUST before peak ripeness. This helps them last just a little bit longer, and they still taste just as great!

If you need more guidance setting up your garden and getting things started, I can recommend three groups here in Charlottesville:

Blue Ridge Backyard Harvest
Cville Foodscapes
GrowCo

All are run by fantastic, dedicated people who want to help you get your garden growing, so please contact them if you need their services!

And that’s the word, for now. Again, please feel free to email or call with any thoughts, questions or suggestions, and happy growing!

image credit: Vicki Moore/Creative Commons

Mystery Photo Revealed!

2010-03-19T10:19:00.000-04:00

Lots of good guesses over the past few days on our Facebook page, but no one got it just right! The mystery berry above is actually....

An asparagus berry!

Yea. I had no idea either! Asparagus plants are either male or female. The female plants develop more spears or stems than the male plants, but the stems are smaller in diameter. After the first year, small red berries form on the female plants in late summer. We found these berries as we were weeding out the fields for this season (see more photos here, here and here).

Also, another fast fact I just learned: Contrary to popular belief, thinner stems are not an indication of tenderness. Thick stems are already thick when they poke their heads out of the soil and thin stems do not get thicker with age. Tenderness is related to maturity and freshness. Just one more reason to eat local!

YUM! Thanks for playing.

When it Rains, it Pours.

2010-03-18T13:57:00.001-04:00

Ok, didn't meant to scare you. No rain predicted this weekend -- just two glorious days of sunshine and 70 degree temps. But there's so much going on around farming and local foods this weekend (and next week) that I'm dedicating a whole post to it.

First up, C'ville Parks and Rec is sponsoring a local food workshop called "Home for Dinner."

When: March 20, 2010 from 10:00 to 1:00

What: How can I feed my family local food and stay within my budget? What's the difference between a CSA and a food cooperative? Find out these and more in this three hour workshop that explores the local food scene. Participants will learn cost-saving and seasonal meal-planning strategies and take home delicious recipes. Guest speakers, who include Chef Mark from L'Etoile and Kathryn Bertoni from Appalachia Star Farm, will help complete this interactive and informative workshop.

How Much: $15.00 for residents and $22.00 for non-residents.

Where: Tonsler Recreation Center

How: Call (434) 970-3260 or visit www.charlottesville.org to register online for workshop # 240528
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next up, the Forum for Rural Innovation: New Approaches for Agriculture and Rural Prosperity, showcasing new programs that enhance farm or rural business profitability. The models also focus on conserving farmland and natural resources, and developing new approaches to rural prosperity in upscale areas where land commands premium prices.

Sponsored by Loudoun County Office of Rural Economic Development - more info here!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And finally, next week is the Wild & Scenic Film Festival at Vinegar Hill. Lots of good stuff to choose from, but I'm looking forward to the 16-minute short film, Homegrown Revolution:

In the midst of a dansely urban setting in downtown Pasadena, radical change is taking root. For over twenty years, the Dervaes family has transformed their home into an urban homestead. As a family for this new paradigm, harvest nearly 3 tons of organic food from their 1/10 acre garden while incorporating many back-to-basics practices, as well as solar energy and biodiesel. www.freedomgardens.org

More details on the festival can be found at wildvirginia.org, and you can download a full schedule here!

No excuses for staying home this weekend!

Mystery Photo of the Day...

2010-03-17T16:18:00.000-04:00

Test your farming/gardening/botany skills... Any guesses on what's in this mystery picture? Click the image to see it larger!

P.S. Speaking of gardening, have you thought about planting a row for the hungry this year?

Out on the Farm...

2010-03-16T16:30:00.000-04:00

Are you ready for this? We have big news.

The Local Food Hub is proud to announce the opening of our Educational Farm at Maple Hill, located in southern Albemarle County, Virginia. The facilities include existing farm equipment and implements, a large greenhouse, multiple sheds and barns, select perennial plants, and mushroom and egg operations. (I guess I no longer have an excuse to be scared of mushrooms.)

The use of Maple Hill Farm came about through collaboration with the Matthews family, local landowners with a longtime vision of a thriving community farm.

We have so many plans for this beautiful, certified organic operation. First and foremost, farming! The greenhouse is filling up with seedlings of all kinds -- baby broccoli, cauliflower, onions, tomatoes, spinach -- and the fields are slowly but surely coming back to life. Some of the food grown here will be for distribution, but 25% will be donated to local food banks, pantries and soup kitchens.

Also, we're in the midst of planning all kinds of workshops and community events. Three fantastic apprentices started last week -- you'll meet them soon -- and we'll have high school interns out here this summer. Groups from area high schools and community groups are already planning service days, and if you stay tuned, you'll hear about some great volunteer opportunities, too.

Our heads are still spinning at the opportunities here, and we are so grateful to all of our supporters for making it happen. What a great investment in our community, our economy and the future of Virginia's local food and farming movement. We look forward to sharing our progress with you.

image credits: Emily Manley

No Longer Dormant: The Spring Thaw

2010-03-04T15:53:00.000-05:00

While it may have seemed farfetched a few days ago, today the signs are unmistakable: spring really is right around the corner. The greenhouse here at the farm is filling up with seedlings and the rich smell of good, healthy dirt. Robins are taking over my backyard on a daily basis. I spent too much money last night on an ambitious pile of seed packets and my fingers are itching to rip them open. These are signs of spring, I’m sure of it.

I’m also sure that many of you are now in the planning stages for your own gardens – backyard, container or otherwise. Whatever the case may be, if you’re tending to a garden this year, I want to ask you for a favor.

Will you join the Local Food Hub in our effort to provide fresh, local, nutritious vegetables and fruit to those who really need it? Will you Plant a Row for the Hungry?

The idea is really quite simple: when you’re deep in the midst of planning and planting this spring, will you add just one extra row to your garden and donate the fruits of your labor to those who are in need?

Details on how it all works are forthcoming. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered on the heavy lifting and the logistics; we’ll even get your produce to the food banks and pantries in our area. Right now, I just want to know if you’ll join us.

This is an easy (and fun) way to make a big difference in the health of our community with just a small amount of effort. And the possibilities are endless: get your kids outside, challenge your neighbors, involve your school, your friends or your coworkers. The more people on board, the less weeding you’ll have to do (!) – and the more food we can get to those who need it.

Please respond as soon as possible if you are interested in joining us: email me at emily@localfoodhub.org.

But wait! Don’t have space for a garden? Green thumb not so green? We could still use your help getting the word out, gathering resources and coordinating logistics. Please let me know if you’d like to join the Plant a Row for the Hungry Committee.

Whether you’re a first time gardener or an experienced farmhand, we’re looking forward building a Plant a Row team – and seeing what you can do!

Here’s to a fruitful, generous (and delicious) spring and summer...

image credit: Our Enchanted Garden/Creative Commons

Allez Cuisine!

2010-02-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

We’ve talked a little bit about school nutrition here – and certainly will continue to do so over the weeks and months ahead – but for now, here’s a chance to put your lunch where your mouth is.

In a hands-on showdown that tips its hat to Iron Chef America, high school and college students across the country are invited to enter the Cooking up Change 2010 National Healthy Cooking Contest, hosted by the Healthy Schools Campaign and the National Farm to School Network.

The challenge? To create a healthy school lunch that meets stringent nutritional guidelines, using only ingredients that are available to the workers in school food service. In addition, contestants must use at least one locally grown food and the meal must, obviously, taste good. Not an easy task, by any means!

Interested students should form three-person teams and submit recipes by 5 p.m. EST on March 26. Based on those entries, three teams from the high school division and three teams from the college division will then be selected to receive an all-expenses paid trip to Taking Root, the National Farm to Cafeteria conference, to compete in the Cooking up Change finals.

The final round will include an in-kitchen battle, where the teams compete to prepare their meals and serve them to a panel of judges.

Interested in sautéing your way to change? Enter the competition now!

image © Healthy Schools Campaign

Clean Your Plate: Around the Web This Week

2010-02-05T11:31:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone good luck out there this weekend as snowpocalypse 2.0 heads our way. Be safe, stay warm and break out the snowshoes.

Some things we liked this week:

Michael Pollan on Oprah (with video!). Something to note: the less we spend on food, the more we spend on healthcare. Who would you rather pay?
Bye-bye NAIS: USDA drops plan to trace livestock. Small farms rejoice... then ask "What will replace it?"

Just say no...to school lunch milk with the same amount of sugar as a soda.

WaPo's Jane Black talks with Sen. Tom Harkin (D – Iowa), a long-time proponent of healthful eating, about Michelle Obama's new childhood obesity initiative.
Urban farmers fight for their right...to grow veggies.
Two different takes on school lunches -- basically the same result. Fed Up with School Lunch and School Lunch Found Guilty.
What happens when a three-year-old starts looking at the beautiful food pics in Cooking Light?

image credit: Camera Slayer/Creative Commons

Hoops!

2010-02-03T11:34:00.001-05:00

For anyone who lives in a climate that experiences seasons — hello, Virginia, sorry southern California — then it's not hard to imagine the value of having an insulated hoop house as part of your farm operation.

These greenhouse-like structures allow farmers to extend the growing season on both ends — earlier into spring and later into fall and winter. This can help farmers get a steady stream of income throughout the year which is a significant advantage to owners of small farms, limited-resource farmers and organic producers.

That's why it's exciting to hear that Virginia is part of a new pilot program being run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service that will provide funding for farmers to establish high tunnels to increase the availability of locally grown produce in a conservation-friendly way.

This pilot will test the potential conservation benefits of growing crops under these structures, and participating farms can receive funding for one high tunnel.

Local farmers who would like to sign-up for the high tunnel pilot should call or visit the NRCS office at a local USDA service center. USDA service center locations are listed on-line at http://offices.usda.gov.

image credit: Chewonki Semester School/Creative Commons

Raise Your Hand for Better School Lunches

2010-02-02T10:56:00.000-05:00

School lunch has been all over the news lately, and the reports aren't pretty. Not only are we feeding our kids beef that many fast food joints won't even touch, we're also counting the french fry as a vegetable, plastic-wrapping grilled cheeses, and serving pizza with more than 25 ingredients.

The thing is, it's not easy to make a healthy, nutritious school lunch on just one or two dollars. Which is just how much money is currently available per meal. Even Obama's newest budget proposal will only add an additional $.20 per kid.

And yet, the problem is more complicated than this. School lunches won't get better just because they cost more. It's going to take a thoughtful, refined effort to provide our children with the nutritious, healthy food they deserve.

That's why you should know about two important pieces of Virginia legislation that have been introduced this year. Both have the potential to get more healthy, locally-grown fruits and vegetables into our schools.

First up, one that could use your support:

HB398 would facilitate the purchase of Virginia-grown food products by state agencies, institutions and local public school divisions to the maximum extent possible. Virginia schools currently spend more than $6 million annually on fresh produce — shouldn't some (or all!) of that money stay right here in VA?

Next up, a joint resolution that just passed last week. Hoorah!

HJ95 designates the second full week of November, in 2010 and in each succeeding year, as Virginia Farm-to-School Week in the Commonwealth. (In case you missed it, this very program helped the Local Food Hub supply 17 schools in our region with fresh fruits and vegetables this year. We look forward to keeping this tradition alive and well.)

So, your homework for tonight? Get the scoop on this latest legislation, and do what you can to help.

HB398: Summary | Actual Bill

image credit: Showalter for NY Daily News

Clean Your Plate: Around the Web This Week

2010-01-29T11:30:00.000-05:00

Sounds like we're in for a snowy few days, folks... just in case you'd forgotten that it was winter. Here's a few things to keep you busy this weekend. Brew up a nice cup of hot chocolate, pull up the quilt and start clicking.

Survey says: fruit and veggie consumption dropped in 2009. Bummer -- let's get that number up again in 2010.
Find out how a grassroots push for student loan forgiveness could remove a barrier for new farmers...
First year farmers: a nice piece on a small family farm chronicling the joys (and the growing pains) of starting up.
All you can't eat: the sad story of food waste in our country.
Going hungry: The hunger action group FRAC just released some distressing numbers on the rise of hunger in the U.S: 1 in 5 people experienced food insecurity in the last year.

And finally -- don't miss the chance to apply for our paid apprenticeship out at the educational farm. A seriously once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

image credit: Todd Ehlers/Creative Commons

Start Your Own Community Garden in C-ville

2010-01-27T12:11:00.001-05:00

Community gardens are not just an urban phenomenon. Yes, in places like New York City, it's hard to walk a block or two without finding some tended patch of green, spilling out onto the sidewalk. In fact, New York boasts more than 600 gardens covering more than 32 acres — pretty impressive.

But they exist in less urban locales, too, like Charlottesville, which has at least three or four: Meadowcreek Gardens (off Morton Drive, behind the English Inn) and Azalea Park (off Old Lynchburg Road near 64) both have community garden plots where residents can rent space to grow flowers and vegetables, and others can be found on Sixth Street and Ridge Street.

Word on the street, however, is that it's nigh on impossible to get a plot at most of these gardens — that's how popular they are. Which leads me to believe we need more community gardens — a lot more. And now, there's a great opportunity for some motivated individuals or groups to make something happen.

Tom's Garden is a new organization making "seed money" grants for community gardens in our area. They consider applications from any group: individuals, homeowner's associations, public and non profit orgs, schools — basically anyone who has the vision and elbow grease to make it happen.

The application is available on their website. So what are you waiting for? It's practically spring — get growing!

image credit: itzafineday/Creative Commons

Apply Now: Farming Apprenticeship with the Local Food Hub!

2010-01-26T14:53:00.000-05:00

America's farming demographic is aging. Rapidly.

According to the latest Census of Agriculture, the average age of a U.S. farmer is 57.2, and that's not all. The average American small farmer is over 60. More than one out of every four farmers is over 65 years old and rapidly facing retirement, and less than 6% of all American farmers are younger than 35 years old.

If you haven't thought about it before, now's the time to take a minute and consider: who will grow our food in 10, 15, or 20 years?

Could it be you? In addition to providing services and support to our current generation of small farmers, the Local Food Hub is dedicated to inspiring and developing the next generation of farmers through workshops, classes and hands-on activities.

That's why we're proud to announce our first apprenticeship opportunity at our educational farm. Apprentices will perform a wide variety of tasks including planting, mulching, laying irrigation, organic pest management, harvesting and packing produce, and working with the public and selected teenage interns in a mentor capacity. Further knowledge in areas such as soil improvement, crop planning, and farm machinery is possible for motivated individuals. Get all the details here.

This is a unique opportunity to get your hands in the ground and make a difference -- don't miss it!

Clean Your Plate: Around the Web this Week

2010-01-22T11:00:00.061-05:00

Happy rainy Friday. While the Local Food Hub truck is out making the rounds (to the Haven and Clark, Johnson and Jackson-Via Elementary Schools, to be exact), we're making the rounds on the internet. Here's the best in food-related media this week:

DIY Backyard Beekeeping slideshow and tutorial. If you can garden, you can beekeep!
New article from The Atlantic (if you haven't banned them after the Caitlan Flanagan drama): Why Big Ag Won't Feed the World. Choice quote: "In 2008 more food was grown than ever before in history. In 2008 more people were obese than ever before in history. In 2008 more profit was made by food companies than ever before in history. And in 2008 more people went hungry than ever before in history."
You dropped food on the floor. Do you eat it? Cheeky.
Still going: a school gardener strikes back with evidence from the field.
Tales from a DC school kitchen - the first of a six-part series in which Ed Bruske spends a week in the kitchen at H.D. Cooke Elementary School observing how food is prepared. It's not pretty.
Food insecurity in Haiti, a nation of farmers, where hunger was part of everyday life even before the earthquake.

image credit: Christine Wells Vrooman

An Irrational Fear...

2010-01-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

To be completely honest, the idea of growing mushrooms freaks me out. It could be the fear of accidentally eating something that's horribly toxic, but I trace a good deal of my paranoia back to a particularly memorable episode of the X-Files (which, if you're interested, featured a mushroom that extended for more than ten acres underground and digested human bodies).

Irrational thinking in both cases, I know. Especially considering I love to eat mushrooms: sauteed, grilled, roasted, in an omelet, you name it.

Which is why I'm considering taking one of the mushroom growing classes being held this spring out at Sharondale Farm. Two different classes — Growing Mushrooms at Home and Got Mushroom? — designed to teach the fungi-novice the basics of life cycles and ecology, as well as cultivation techniques (either indoor or outdoor, depending on the class).

If you've ever dreamed of inoculating your own log with spores or harvesting your own crop of oyster mushrooms, now's your chance! Classes are open to the public, but on a first come, first serve basis. $25 reserves your spot!

image credit: benketaro/Creative Commons

New Report Shows Good Results

2010-01-18T13:30:00.000-05:00

Driving around Charlottesville, you’d be hard pressed to go more than a few blocks without eventually coming face to face with the back end of a Volvo or Subaru sporting a "Buy Fresh Buy Local" bumper sticker. But as prevalent as the sentiment seems to be, is the movement actually a movement? That is to say, are people actually buying locally – and does it matter?

If the Local Food Hub’s early success is any indication, then yes, our community is committed to supporting local food. In less than a year, we’ve gotten up and running and beat every initial goal we set for ourselves. But if you’re looking for something less anecdotal and more facts, figures and numbers, well, you’re in luck because the numbers for 2009 have been crunched.

A national survey of more than 1,800 independently owned businesses found that not only did more holiday shoppers seek out locally owned businesses this year, independent retailers in cities with active "Buy Independent / Buy Local" or "Local First" campaigns reported stronger holiday sales than those in cities without such campaigns.

In cold hard numbers, it looks like this:

Independent retailers in cities with Buy Local campaigns reported an average increase in holiday sales of 3 percent.
Independent retailers in cities without a campaign reported an increase of 1.0 percent, while the national average was a mere .75 percent.

Clearly, Buy Local campaigns are having an impact in communities across America.

This is good news, especially if you recall a recent report by the Virginia Cooperative Extension. They found that if every Virginia household spent just $10 per week on locally grown food, they would invest more than $137 million back into local farms, independent businesses, and the community every month.

That adds up to more than $1.65 billion invested in Virginia’s communities each year. One more reason to think globally and shop locally.

image credit: Phil LaCombe/Creative Commons

Clean Your Plate: Around the Web This Week

2010-01-15T11:23:00.005-05:00

It's Friday and the Local Food Hub truck is out and about, stuffed full of local potatoes, winter squash, turnips, onions and apples and making donation drops at both the Haven and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank in Charlottesville. Here's to a good weekend and healthy eating for all.

Also, here's our new weekly round up the latest food news, articles, events and happenings on the web this week. Did you see something we missed? Let us know...

Caitlin Flanagan's (astoundingly wrongheaded, utterly baffling) article in the Atlantic goes for the jugular, taking down schoolyard gardens across America: Cultivating Failure.
Thankfully, many, many critics join the discussion: Mother Jones, Civil Eats, Grist and Serious Eats to name just a few.
The New York Times runs a fantastic editorial on some urgent issues facing the meat industry. Choice quote: "Investigators working for a division of the Agriculture Department that oversees school lunch programs found higher rates of salmonella in meat from Beef Products than from other vendors."
What's a Community Kitchen?
Restaurant Week is coming! Make your reservations now and enjoy some locally prepared deliciousness!
Can an apple a day blow your budget? In some cases, yep.

And finally our thoughts are going out to those in Haiti; please take a minute and do what you can to help.

image credit: whirledkid/Creative Commons

Going Dormant

2010-01-14T17:32:00.002-05:00

I can’t help it – the thermometer barely cracked 50 degrees today and I automatically started thinking about spring: sunshine, seeds, gardens, sprouts, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Alas, it’s only January and here in Virginia, we have at least another two months of the cold stuff. Reality check.

Here’s the thing: eating locally also means eating seasonally, and when that season happens to be winter (and you happen to be in Virginia), it’s tough to be good. Even Epicurious gives Virginia a depressing “dormant” rating for January.

But why should we care whether a food is in season?

For one thing, most produce these days travels about 1,500 miles before it reaches the consumer, bearing an ugly carbon footprint. But a related point is freshness. If your food doesn’t travel as far, it will be fresher – and healthier – when you finally purchase it. Finally, because seasonal food is usually locally produced, concentrating your spending power on it will help to keep your local economy ticking and keep money circulating within your community, which can only help make the place you live a more pleasant area to be in. All of these reasons, coincidentally, are linked to the Local Food Hub’s mission and our whole raison d’etre. 

So what’s a local-minded grocery shopper to do during these dog-days of winter? Well, while the hub’s coffers are getting low, they aren’t empty. We’re still delivering apples, sweet potatoes, white potatoes and even some frozen berries – so keep your eyes peeled for our delivery truck.

And think about trying something new for dinner this week – also in season now: beets, burdock, cabbage, carrots, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, leeks, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, pears, rutabagas, shallots, turnips and winter squash (take that Epicurious!).   

Of course, we’re not advocating that you should completely deprive yourself during the winter months, either. Sometimes only a banana will do. But, by being aware of what’s local and seasonal at the moment, you provide a new element to your shopping, cooking and eating that mindlessly loading up the cart with imported foods at the supermarket really can't match.